


New Wings

by Oblivion772



Category: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X
Genre: Amnesia, Crossover, F/M, Manipulation, Memory Loss, Spira, tradgedy, travel buddies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-07 13:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 32,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4265097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oblivion772/pseuds/Oblivion772
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sephiroth is taken to Spira, and before he can gather what's going on, he's taken to jail and traveling with a crass blitzballer, a former monk, and an optimistic summoner. But the travels bring back memories that he isn't ready to face. As they travel through to Zanarkand, more and more about him comes to light. But will they be able to save each other in the end? Or will Sephiroths sins catch up to him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Battle, Blood, Leather, and Silky Silvery Locks

**Author's Note:**

> So, originally this was posted on fanfic.net, and it's still going there. I'll try to update this one pretty frequently as well, but it may be a bit less then the other. I suggest if you really want to keep up on it to follow it there instead of here. But hey, you can stay on here if you want I appreciate anything you have to say.

Chapter One: Battle, Blood, Leather, and Silky Silvery Locks.

The moment Sephiroth awoke, he didn't know what to think. A haze overcoming his mind,  and being inable to remember anything. His name, yes, but nothing else. Though he did have a vision in his mind. He, a man in red, and a man with an enormous sword looking to weigh at least a hundred pounds. But nothing else was coming into his mind. He had nothing else to remember. Of course the first logical thing to do was go into town and ask around.

The town, he couldn't help but think, was quite pathetic. He didn't know why, but it just didn't seem to be very impressive. There were so many people around, but so many walked past him before he could ask where he was. There was one man though, a man without a shirt and wearing shorts, a tattoo on his unmarred chest, even though he was muscular, there were no signs of a violent past like most of the people in the town. Maybe it was because the man looked as confused as he was that urged Sephiroth to speak to him, even though he didn't seem too friendly. Not that Sephiroth had a shining look on his face as he walked the streets.

"Greetings." Sephiroth says to him in a respectful tone, giving him nothing more then a nod. Not to mention that when Sephiroth was being respectful he always managed to sound sarcastic. "I apologize if i'm bothering you, but do you know what this town is called?"

"How the hell should I know?!" He yells at Sephiroth, pointing a bottle at him angrily. The man only looked about his own age, so Sephiroth was unsure why he was drunk as senseless as he looked at only about noon.

"Do not speak to me in that way." Sephiroth snarls at him, he might not remember much other then his name, but he did know that he didn't like being spoken to in that way. "I was asking a simple question, one you should be able to answer no matter how pathetic your life must be to force you to drink when the sun is not halfway through it's journey." He continues, now making sure to speak to him in a derogatory way.

But even Sephiroth did not expect the man to throw a fist at him, managing to make Sephiroth stumble, but not forcing him to do more then bump into a woman walking with her child, who promptly glares at him. Sephiroth may have let it go if it had been an accident, but it also didn't help that the brown haired man yelled and tackled him to the ground. But before he could continue attempting to beat the man who had insulted him, Sephiroth manages to shove him off, the man stumbling back onto his knees.

Before the drunken man can get up, Sephiroth launches a foot into the man's midsection. It was hard to get Sephiroth angry, but even if he had no memories, he did know that he didn't like being attacked by a man on the street. Not to mention that he did have pride and he wasn't going to back down in front of a crowd that was gathering around them.

When Sephiroth begins another kick, the man grabs ahold of his leg and drags him to the ground, apparently having sobered up slightly from the pain blossoming in his abdomen. Immediatly, he flips Sephiroth over, attempting to pull on his arm hard enough to break it, but finding that the bones for some reason are like an alloy of titanium. As he tugs hard enough to bring a slight groan from Sephiroth, the only reason being that his long silver hair had gotten caught in the man's hands.

Sephiroth twists his hands out of the man's grasp, and sweeps his legs out, both men quickly getting up to the thunderous roar of an excited crowd. Fist fights didn't often happen in Bevelle, and they knew it was only a matter of time before the monks from the temple or other guards of the city showed up to put a stop to this.

Sephiroth immediatly narrows his eyes. He would go with his instincts for now, as his memories failed him. He dashes in, quickly hitting the man in the side with his right fist. But immediatly stops when, for some reason, the man goes flying through the screaming crowd and even through a wall. As soon as the man flies away, the crowd disperses, probably to go and lock themselves in their homes. Sephiroth looks at his hand, finding a fading blue glow around it. He had no idea why he had this power. Was it normal for all humans? And why hadn't it happened before?

But he breaks out of his thoughts as the man gives a cry as though he's going into war and tackles Sephiroth by his midsection. To tell the truth, Sephiroth had forgotten why the fight even started, but nonetheless grabbed the fist being thrown his way by the muscular man basically straddling him. 

Getting tired of their constant floor fighting, Sephiroth throws him off again and attempted to punch him again, trying but failing to bring out the strange blue energy. It seems the few people still watching them were having the times of their lives. But somehow the still drunk man manages to dodge Sephiroth's distracted fist. But Sephiroth actually showed a bit of pain on his face when the man grabs onto his hair and pulls with all of his might, thankfully not pulling out any of the silky silver locks. 

It was then that the monks showed up, confused by the damage done to the building nearby. But paying more attention to the definate cause of the damage, casting quick sleeping spells on the two men, the tanned and muscular one immediatly falling, but not letting go of the other man's hair, dragging Sephiroth down with him, to which Sephiroth gasps, his scalp burning. Thankfully though, after another three sleeping spells, his eyes droop, and he stops struggling, the monks walking up with even more confused expressions then before.

 

The next time Sephiroth awoke, he was aware of two things, one was the extreme dampness in whatever room he was in, and second was the uncomfortable tighness on his hair. With a look behind him, he finds the man the same as before, a red bandana over his tan forehead, with dark brown hair over even the bandana and a thick masculine face, slight wrinkles on his face. But looking the man over did not help his hair problem, thankfully he had not pulled hard enough to tear any out. Sephiroth couldn't help but be protective of his hair. 

Still though, Sephiroth assumed that they couldn't get the man's hand untangled from his hair if they had left him in the same cell. One glance told him that it definately was a cell, what with the bars and the stone walls. So, with a sigh, Sephiroth scoots over to the man who has a stone hard clench on his hair, and makes sure it's close enough to him, trying to ignore the way his head is lying on the other mans waist, dangerously close to the...*ahem* private features. 

Sephiroth had nothing to do in this strange place. And so, with intent he delved into his own mind, trying to remember anything from his past, but always coming up with the same image of two other men, but in some instances, the man with red clothes was reading aloud from some kind of book, and even though he couldn't hear him, Sephiroth found it strangely comforting. With a final push into the depths of his mind, he finds a man with a needle standing in front of him. He can't remember anything else, but. apparently he had fallen asleep for a while because the next time he woke up to a yell of shock and yet another harsh tug on his hair.

Sephoroth woke up with a yelp, looking up at the tan man who was holding his hair at arms length, a warm liquid dripping down Sephiroth's head now as he glares up at the tall man with a slight hatred in his eyes. At least the man seemed to be more sober then he was before. "Let go of my hair." Sephiroth basically demands.

"Not 'till you tell me what the hell ya though you were doin'!" The man yells at him, jerking Sephiroth unintentionally as he swings his arms. 

"You were holding me while you slept." Sephiroth says in a much calmer tone then the taller man. "To avoid getting my hair pulled out I moved closer to you. It didn't seem to work though."

"Er...right." He says and finally drops Sephiroth, who gets to his feet, leaning to one side as he stumbles, feet having fallen asleep during his long time on the ground. "Well, not that I blame ya! No one can resist me! Comes with bein' a superstar ya know." He says, but catching Sephiroth's glare, continues on. "But don't ya get too into it! I got a wife ya know!"

Sephiroth rolls his eyes boredly, stretching his arms and legs in a strangely refined way, the other man following his example, but doing it in a less elegant way. "So." The other man says in a voice that says he's just trying to make conversation. "What's yer name then?"

Sephiroth gives him a scrutinizing look, but answers anyway. "Sephiroth. May I ask yours as well?" He says and turns completely to face the tanner man in the room, combing a knot out of his very long silver hair with his hands.

"What?" The man asks, seemingly confused. "Why has no one here heard of me?! I'm Jecht!" He continues, crossing his arms with an angry look. "Saying Zanarkand was destroyed 1000 years ago, calling me crazy." He mutters and glares at Sephiroth. " You ain't gonna say the same thing are ya?"

"Honestly?" Sephiroth says, lifting a brow at Jecht. "I do in fact think you are crazy, but I have never heard of a place called Zanarkand." He says with a shrug of his leather clad shoulders.

"I ain't crazy!" Jecht yells to him, flinging his arms out in an angry manner.

"Just the fact that you would get so upset over it proves my point." Sephiroth says, a slightly playful grin on his face. Sephiroth had no idea why or where he was, but he did enjoy annoying people like this...he thinks. An image of the red clad man appears in his mind.

"Hey, you have a visitor." A guard yells into the cell that has a slightly kinder atmosphere then before, Jecht having almost come up with a witty comeback. 

"So, this is him?" A man in very confining robes asks, somehow being able to walk around with the robes dragging behind him and the sleeves going much past his arms. "You are Jecht correct? From Zanarkand?"

"Finally!" Jecht yells, shooting a glare to Sephiroth who rolls his eyes. "Someone who actually knows who I am! Ya want a autograph?" He asks with his hands on his hips and an almost charming look on his face.

"Technically, that would be 'an autograph'." Sephiroth says to him from the other side of the cell, and as soon as he sees him, Auron decides that he likes this man much, MUCH more.

"Eh, shuddup." Jecht says with a wave of his hands. "So, whaddaya want then?" Jecht asks the robed man.

"I'm soon leaving on a pilgrimage." He says, recievingna cocked eyebrow from Jecht and a neutral look from Sephiroth. "To Zanarkand." He adds once he finds the looks from them aimed at him.

"And what's the catch?" Jecht asks incredulously with a strange look.

"Watch your toungue knave!" Yet another man yells at him, a man dressed in red, almost like the man in Sephiroth's mind, but with different hair and armour beneath.

"Whatever." Jecht says with a wave of his hand and a quickly growing bored look on his face.

"The road is going to be long, and dangerous." The man in the very very long robes breaks into their unfriendly conversation. "I'm most likely going to need more then one guardian. Do you accept my offer?"

"What?!" The man with armour breaks into the robed man's words. "My Lord, I must object! You cannot truly think this drunkard would make a good guardian! If you must choose a man you've never met, at least choose that one!" He yells and points to Sephiroth, who had actually started to tune out their conversation, but now looks at them in confusion, the guards next to the robed man and the man in armour flinching at his intesely emotionless scion eyes.

The man in the robes actually seems to consider it, looking at the man clad in a leather coat going past his knees and pants as well. "Wait!" Jecht yells and puts his hand on the bars of the cell. "I'll go with you! Just get me the hell out of here!" 

With a nod, the man in the robes whispers to the guard, who sighs and unlocks the door, nearly getting run over by Jecht rushing out of the cell, Sephiroth watching as the guard moves to close the door again he sighs and leans against the wall, still getting knots out of his long silver hair.

"Wait." The robed man says to the guard once again. "Who is the other man in the cell?" 

"Well, no one really knows." The guard says, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "We looked into the records, but we couldn't find anything on him. The two men had gotten into a fist fight over by the Aeon's Bar."

"And you thought it was a good idea to put them in the same cell together?" The man in the armour asks as Jecht excitedly stretches behind them. 

"Well..." The guard says nervously, looking away from the people in front of him. "We did try to cut the hair that he was holding, but not even the strongest of knives could cut it." 

"Interesting." The robed man says, tapping his chin with an interested look. "Tell me man, where are you from?" He continues, looking at Sephiroth thoughtfully.

Sephiroth stays silent though, looking at the ground for a while before answering tentatively. "I...believe it was a city called...Midgar."

"Wait." Jecht interrupts, looking at Sephiroth with a smile. "You mean the Midgar Maulers? The blitzball team?"

Sephiroth silently looks at him with a slightly confused look. "I...don't know." He says quietly. "I don't have many memories as of now." He stops, looking at the ground with a slightly dazed look in his eyes.

The two men who had came to the cell share a silent look, the robed man smiling and the man with the armour rolling his eyes. The robed man looks to the guard who sighs and opens the door for Sephiroth who walks out much more calmly then Jecht had. 

"Well, we know his name." The man with the armour says, motioning to Jecht. "But what's your name?" He asks him in a slightly more friendly tone then he was adressing Jecht with. 

"I'm named Sephiroth." Sephiroth says with a nod to the other men in the room. "What should I call you then?"

"My name is Braska." The robed man says, then motions to the armoured man with a smile on his face as he does. "And that is Auron. It's nice to meet you, Jecht and Sephiroth. We have to leave soon. We only have a day or so, so we'll need to get you some weapons and items okay?"

Sephiroth, Auron, and Jecht all give different ways of letting them know yes. And the guard turns to Sephiroth and Jecht. "Well, we do have some things to return to you two, if you'll all follow me?" He says and walks off, the four others trailing behind him.

Sephiroth and Jecht turn to follow him immediatly, Braska shrugging and following with Auron behind him. The dungeons led to a staircase that brought the men up to the main chamber, and glancing briefly at the praying men and women, Braska nods to them, Jecht and Auron ignore them, and Sephiroth rolls his eyes at them, earning a kind hit to the back of his head from Braska.

"It's right in here." The guard says and opens a wooden door, allowing them into the room before following them. There was a single table in the middle of the room, with a few bags and a flask on it. 

"Here." The guard says and hands Jecht the flask, a small piece of paper, and a wallet. "These were all the belongings you had on you when we found you." The guard continues, and goes to root through the rest of the things on the table.

Jecht glances at the small piece of paper, finding it to be one of the many tiny signatures he carried around just in case. He would need to keep up his reputation and refusing to give someone a signature would hurt it. He opens his wallet, finding a few smaller currencies of gil inside of it, only having carried about 3500 gil with him, but his features soften when he unfolds another piece of paper, looking almost sad.

Braska glances over his shoulder curiously, finding a picture of Jecht and a shorter woman holding the hand of a small child who was glaring venomously at Jecht. "Who are those people?" Braska asks, Jecht glancing back at them. "Your family?"

"Yeah." Jecht says and hands Braska the picture, the summoner getting a better look, Auron and Sephiroth briefly glancing at them. "That's Chihiro." He says and points to the shy looking brown haired woman, then moves his finger to the little boy. "And that's Tidus, my son."  
Meanwhile...(Back when the conversation between Braska and Jecht started)

Sephiroth was standing silently, still attempting to get the knots out of his hair, but not getting much succes out of it. But he did like the look of the long hair, it made him stand out, if the fact that it was silver didn't already do that.

Auron glanced over at him, finding a strange look of slight pain on his face when his ring finger gets caught on a knot hard enough to yank his hand from the hair. Auron rolls his eyes, searching in his bag that he kept on his belt next to his jug, finding the small wooden handle quickly. "Here." He says and holds the small bristly brush out to the slightly taller man. 

Sephiroth raises an eyebrow at him, forgetting for the moment that the guard was basically sitting on the table to find whatever it was they confiscated from Sephiroth. "What is this?" He asks, then deciding to reword the question he had just asked. "Why do you have a brush?" He asks and looks at Aurons unkempt hair with a scrutinous eye.

"It's a favor from a woman who had tried to get my hand in marriage." Auron replies. You would be surprised at how many people tried to marry him on a daily basis. "I didn't care for her but...she seemed to want me to remember her. I don't use it though. You might as well have it if you're going to travel with us."

"And why would you want to help me with my personal hygiene?" Sephiroth asks again, getting more and more confused by the moment as he continues his explanation.

"It's for Braska." He says, Sephiroth just giving him a look. "What would the monks think if a guardian of the summoner has hair looking like he tried to go through the thunder plains after swimming in the moonflow?"

Sephiroth shrugs, not really understanding what ha had just said, but accepting it none the less. "Well, thank you anyway Auron." Sephiroth says and continues in his endeavor of cleaning his very long hair.

"Ah." The guard interrupts as Sephiroths' hair gets a shiny look to it again. "Here we are." He says and holds up a small leather bag, a clump of purple feather, yet another piece of paper, a broken hilt, and a belt that had studs in it just like the rest, but a gleaming light green gem on it, as well as two metal wristbands. "These are what we had gathered from you. Don't worry, they're all there."

Sephiroth opens the bag, curiously holding up a small dark sphere, the light glinting off of the midnight surface giving it an eerie look before putting it back and grabbing a handful of a green one, yellow, red, blue, and a lime green colored one. He hums a little, before holding up the clump of feathers, nodding and clipping them to slightly peek out of one side of his coat, and putting on the belt and the tiny wristbands that looked much too small to even get on.

"Well," Sephiroth says and turns to them as he hooks the broken hilt to his belt, despite it obviously not being usable. "I believe we were to be leaving soon?" He says and cocks his head to one side, his arched hair leaning.

"Yes." Braska replies, Auron and Jecht apparently had gotten into an argument behind them, glaring at each other. "First stop will be the armorer, and then we will leave tomorrow, we'll stay at my house."

Again, they set off, leaving the guard with a curt goodbye and an assurance to do their best on their pilgrimage. Fortunately, the armorer was close enough that Jecht didn't have a chance to get in any more fights or in anymore bars, and only about 3 people chased after Sephiroth before running off when he glared at them with a fire in his eyes.

Inside the shop were dozens of weapons across the wall, ranging from staffs to battleaxes, Sephiroth ignoring both of these extremes and looking at the swords with a strangely trained eye for someone with no memories, Jecht immediatly grabbing the biggest sword he could find, apparently from the glare he sent Auron, trying to find a sword bigger then his.

"What are you looking for?" Braska asks Sephiroth kindly, noticing the way he frowned at each blade on the counter, the smith looking a bit irritated. "Perhaps I could help you find it? What style do you use?"

"Long swords." Sephiroth answers immediatly, then seems to think his answer through before reapeating it even more firmly. "Yes, long swords." 

It took a while to work out a price for the huge sword that Jecht had picked, the rough metal apparently having been his only choice since he absolutely adored the red dolphins on the side, and Sephiroth had reluctantly agreed to a four foot sword after being assured that they had nothing longer, the blade relatively thin and looking nearly flimsy to Jecht who spent most of the time on the way to Braska's house teasing Sephiroth about his choice of weapons.

As soon as they entered the house, they heard a happy little voice ring out in greeting, a small girl rushing down the stairs and pausing at the two strange men in the house, particularly transfixed on Jecht's tattoo and Sephiroth's hair.

"Why is your hair so long?" She asks and cocks her head with a kind smile just the same as Braska's and her different colored eyes shining. "Doesn't it get in the way?"

Sephiroth looks down, still not having much emotion in his eyes. "Of course not. It really is quite simple to keep it out of the way, now please mind your own business child." He says, unaware of his voices tone, confused when Auron shoots him a glare and Braska gives him a disapproving look.

But the little girl seems to like the answer very much, smiling at him and turning to Jecht, seemingly filled with questions for the strangers. Braska smiles and goes up to his room to put his things down, but Auron stays back and watches them with a sharp eye. "Why do you have such a big tattoo?" She asks Jecht.

Jecht immediatly brightens up, a little tired from having to carry the sword on his back the entire time. "It's the symbol of the Zanarkand Abes! I'm their star player! Really, don't you know me kid?" He asks, but continues to speak without letting her answer. "I've basically won every tournament we entered! I could be a one man team."

"Oh, are you talking about blitzball?" The girl asks, smiling and seeming so much more calm then the full grown man in front of her. "I tried to play one time, but I didn't do too good."

"It's fine kid, it's not for everyone." Jecht says and ruffles her hair with a toothy grin, Sephiroth rolling his eyes at the way the childish man gets along with the adult like child. Jecht seems to get an idea, a glint appearing in his eyes. "Hey kid, wanna see my signature move? I'm sure you'd recognize me if you saw it."

"Sure!" The girl yells and begins to follow Jecht outside.

"Ya got a blitzball then kid?" Jecht asks, just calling her kid for lack of a name to call her.

"Yuna, what are you doing?" Braska asks, coming back down with his bags apparently set down in his room. "Are you going outside?"

"Yeah!" Yuna says, smiling at her father. "He said he was going to show me his special move!"

"Special move?" Braska asks Jecht with a raised eyebrow. "What kind of special move?"

"My move from being a blitzball player!" Jecht says, much too excitedly and motioning for the rest of them to follow him, Auron and Sephiroth doing so reluctantly, Sephiroth putting the red gem back in his pocket. 

When they got outside, Yuna immediatly gave Jecht the bumpy ball, Jecht bouncing it in his hands a few times before moving to face a pole they used for laundry. "Get ready ta have yer minds blown!" He yells and gives them a thumb up, the others actually paying attention now.

He tosses the ball up, and through a complicated series pf punches, knees, kicks, and headbutts, knocks it off of the pole several times before managing to make it fly straight into the air, jumping a large height before twisting around in a shockingly feline fashion, kicking the ball seemingly miles away from a horizontal position, landing with a stumble.

"And that!" Jecht yells and gives a bow to the child in front of him, staring at him like he's a god. "Is the Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III!" He says and gives them a thumbs up.

Sephiroth looks behind him, then emotionlessly says. "You're bleeding, Jecht." He says and taps the large blade that had cut into his back during the presentation.

"Why didn't you take it off you idiot?!" Auron yells at the tan man trying to look to his back, but only managing to crack his neck, something that sounds rather painful.

"I was distracted okay?!" Jecht yells and nearly hits Sephiroth with his flinging hands, Sephiroth stepping back and sighing as he shares a look to Braska that says the are thinking the same exact thing. 

'This is going to be a long ride...'


	2. In the Ourskirts of Bevelle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group leaves Beeville and begins their journey. What sort of antics will they get in along the way?

Chapter Two, Enhanced Senses Aren't All They're Cracked Up To Be.

 

The next day, Braska awoke his three followers early, hardly before the sun rose, Auron waking up immediatly, having known his lords plan the entire plan, Sephiroth awaking with a blink, then questioned calmly as he dressed himself, having slept only in his quite leathery pants, and Jecht had awoken with a loud complaint and causing much worry that he would awake young Yuna.

"Hey, Braska." Jecht says when they get outside, following with a slight shiver and his sword on his back. 

"Yes Jecht?" Braska asks and turns briefly, but continuing his walk through the nearly empty town.

"I been thinking..." He says, walking beside the summoner and holding a hand out as though he's holding his question out to Braska. "If we're goin on this pilgramage an all, who's gonna take care a Yuna while you're gone?"

"She's going to be taken to the temple." Braska responds with a sad smile as he talks about his little daughter. "Hopefully she'll like it there."

"My lord, the shops will open soon." Auron says, ahead of the other three by a few feet. "If you wish to avoid being seen we must make more haste." With that, Braska nods and they continue on in complete silence, Braska, Sephiroth, and Auron seemed fine with it, but Jecht was fidgeting like crazy, running ahead and then running back a few feet, cracking his neck, trying to talk to Sephiroth who gave him a very warning look.

When they finally made it near the gates, Jecht seemed to not be able to stand the silence anymore, pulling a blue orb out of his bag that he had packed with his few belongings and some items. Each of them was carrying some things with them, Jechts and Sephiroths considerably lighter then the others. "Hey, Braska!" Jecht yells quite loudly to the summoner in front of him, he was behind everyone.

Sephiroth turns to give him a warning look, Auron glaring at the tan man in front them now that they had all turned around. Braska sighs, not being able to come up with a way to get out of this. "Yes Jecht?" He asks, looking into the recording sphere.

"We're gonna be savin the world, yeah?" He asks with a smile from behind the sphere. "Where are the cheerin crowds huh? The screamin women!"

Sephiroth rolls his eyes and continues walking, ignoring the others ridiculous comment. "Well," Braska answers calmly as Auron remains silent and motions for Sephiroth to stop walking away. "I don't want to have to say too many goodbyes. It makes you hesitant about leaving."

"Well, we better see more action when we get back!" Jecht continues, flailing his available arm. "I wanna see a parade for Braska! Vanquisher of Sin!"

Braska smiles, but continues on, Auron following and Jecht turning off the sphere. Soon, they were in the forest surrounding Bevelle, Jecht loving the sounds of the animals and the sights. Sephiroth on the other hand seemed to be hating every moment of it, glaring at the dirty ground beneath him and the sappy trees on the side of the path.

It was not long before the sun rose and the area was bathed in light that was slowly changing from red to white. Jecht was practically bouncing around now, laughing and taking in the forest with wide eyes. Auron was trying his best to ignore him, Braska was smiling at his enthusiasm.

When they came across a small clearing next to the pathway they had been following. The clearing was full of soft looking blue flowers, and long grass sprouting amongst it.

Immediatly, Jecht pulls out the sphere, turns it on and hands it to Sephiroth immediatly. "Hey Seph, record this for me huh?"

"Seph?" Sephiroth asks in confusion before Jecht turns the sphere around and hands it to Sephiroth, the sphere having apparently been recording Sephiroth.

"Hey, Chidori!" Jecht yells and waves to Sephiroth who rolls his eyes, but continues filming anyway.

"Why are you even recording this Jecht?" Auron asks, walking to the slightly older man with a scowl on his face, Braska on the screen as well, rolling his eyes happily at his two guardians antics. "We don't have time to waste on this."

"It's fer my family!" Jecht yells back, pointing at Auron heatedly and glaring at him. "When I get back to Zanarkand i'm gonna show them all the things I seen here on my trip to save the world!"

"Zanarkand is gone! For a thousand years!" Auron yells and steps in front of the camera, Sephiroth rolling his eyes and contemplating shutting off the camera...not that he knows how. "You won't be getting back there!" He yells, angry about Jechts constant yakking throughout the day, but Braska's eyes still widen at the insensitive comment.

"Shut up!" Jecht basically roars at the younger man in front of him, shoving him as hard as he can, forgetting that Sephiroth was immediately behind him, Auron sent crashing into Sephiroth, sending the silver haired man stumbling into a tree, coughing when the bark hits his back quite hardly and letting his head hang for a moment, a firm yet rotting branch slamming onto his head, making his body slump and his eyes close. But Auron and Jecht continue with their argument, ignoring the man they  
had injured.

"Auron, Jecht!" Braska yells, pointing at Sephiroth angrily and frowning at the others. "Quit fighting right this moment!" He says and notices the blood slowly dripping from his hairline, Auron walking to him and Jecht picking up the sphere on the ground. With a sigh, Braska pushes up Sephiroths arched bangs and casts a small healing spell on him, flinching when Sephiroth sneezes in his sleep, then chuckles lightly and motions for Auron to come down. "Looks like you'll have to carry him until he comes to."

"And why shouldn't Jecht carry him?" Auron asks in a more childish tone then he would admit to later. "He was the one who pushed me after all."

"You provoked him, Auron." Braska says, ignoring the triumphant yell and fist pump in the background by Jecht. "And besides, Jecht is already carrying that sword, he can't carry Sephiroth as well."

"Fine." Auron mutters and leans by Sephiroth as the others gather their things. He finds as he struggles to put Sephiroth onto his back, that the man is actually quite light, but finds that the longer he carries him, the more annoying his hair becomes, tickling his nose, macking his neck itch, and getting stuck in his hands, but he sighs and accepts his fate.

It actually wasn't very long before Sephiroth awoke, complaining about the terrible smell of sap on his clothes. Auron was actually quite surprised by this, or more by the fact that his nose was wrinkling and his eyes looked like he might break out onto tears. So, it was only natural that Sephiroth wasn't in a very good mood after an hour or so of this.

"What the hell is that?!" Jecht yells and points to a few strange creatures on front of them, some strange looking tiger creatures and vulture like ones as well.

"Fiends!" Auron yells and gets his blade out, by the time that Jecht got his sword off of his back, struggling a bit to grab the handle, Sephiroth was already near the creatures about 5 meters in front of them, sweeping the long sword of his under the tiger one's feet, the beast falling to the ground, the rest of them reaching as he jumped high and slashed diagnally, the vulture being nearly split in half, but seperating into the pyreflies and disappearing.

Jecht gives a battle cry and cuts along the tigers' side, Auron sinking his blade into the beasts neck, nearly being hit by another vulture, until Braska fires a thunder spell at him, and the vulture dodges almost right into Sephiroth's sword, impaling it and giving a final cry before it seperates as well.

The group cleans their individual swords. "Disappointing." Sephiroth mutters, his brow slightly less low though, having burned off some steam through killing the fiends. Auron shrugs, and Jecht smiles and gives him a thumbs up.

"We ought to stop for the night." Braska says, looking up to the sun slowly setting in the sky. "It'll take us a while to set up camp."

After an hour, the camp was set up and they were all in search of a stream or pond for a quick bath, Auron carrying a torch they would set into the ground. The bath part was more for Sephiroth's sake, since he seemed to be getting more and more miserable by the smell stuck in his clothes.

"There." Auron says and points to a near river in front of them, about five feet deep and a few more feet wide, softly flowing water. "That should work fairly well." He says and goes about digging a slight hole and clearing grass to place their campfire base, Jecht had been carrying the extra firewood for the light source.

Auron and Jecht went about it immediatly, finally seeming to get along slightly better to not make Sephiroth anymore terrifying. Braska began taking his very long robes off, blushing lightly, and Sephiroth unbuckling his many belts before removing any metal or objects that would not hold up well to the water, and walking into the water in only his black pants, having taken off his long boots as well. He didn't seem to care at all that he was nearly naked in front of his new traveling companions.

By the time all the rest of them got in the cold water, Sephiroth was still cleaning off his coat, scrubbing vigorously and ignoring how only half of his hair was wet, giving it a strange shiny look. Jecht was swimming in the background, with Braska watching in amazement at his ability and Auron looking slightly impressed as well.

Sephiroth finally got out, putting his wet coat near the fire. When he rejoined them he looked considerably less angry. Jecht smirked and looked from where he and the others were whispering quite suspiciously.

"I still think this is a terrible idea." Auron says and sighs, looking into the water that was orange with the setting sun and the firelight.

"C'mon, we gotta get that stick outta his ass." Jecht responds, Sephiroth passing them and attempting to get his hair wetter then now so he can wash the twigs out of it.

"While I wouldn't say it the same." Braska says with a happy look. "We do need him to loosen up, if he's going to travel with us then we need to all be friends."

"Fine." Auron mutters and creeps up behind Sephiroth, Jecht and Braska going to his sides, nodding before they all launch as much water as they can at him, Braska and Jecht yelling, but Auron staying silent. But when they reopen their eyes from the bits of water that had gotten in their own eyes, they find no silver haired warrior in front of them.

They all glance at each other in alarm. "Um..." Braska says and rubs the back of his head before Jecht yells and literally disappears into the water

"What th-" Auron yells and looks into the dark depths in alarm as the summoner next to him too falls into the water with a yell and he looks around frantically. "Lord Braska!" He yells, getting more desperate and turning frantically. "Sephiroth!" He yells and finally gets a scared look into his eyes. "Jecht!"

"BOO!" Jecht yells behind him at the top of his lungs, Auron screaming and jumping, attempting to turn mid jump, only managing in slipping and falling into the water, resurfacing and coughing to find Jecht and Braska laughing, Braska's laugh softer and less taunting then Jecht's, Sephiroth in the background with a friendly smirk and his arms crossed.

"What the hell?!" Auron yells to them, actually letting himself curse for once since their journey had started.

And that is how Sephiroth found himself doing guard duty for everyone, since Auron refused and Jecht had decided that if Auron didn't have to, then he wouldn't, and Braska didn't have a shift of guard duty (At Aurons insistance).

And so Sephiroth sighed and yet decided that things could be worse.


	3. The Sinspawn

New Wings Chapter 3, The Sinspawn

 

To say that Sephiroth was bored would be a vast understatement. He couldn't understand the point of a guard shift, from what he could gather, there weren't many threats in the area. They hadn't found more than four enemies along the way. Braska had said that it was because the city guards back in Bevelle had kept it under control. So Sephiroth was forced to take on all three shifts of guard duty. He was confident that he could stay awake though, since he wasn't all that tired.

So he sat down and fiddled with the long sword that Braska had gotten him. It was a generous offer for sure, but Sephiroth felt off about carrying the sword around with him. He sighs and looks at the broken hilt that the guard had given to him. He knew he had some connection with the sword the hilt used to be as he looked through his silvery bangs.

"Help me..." A woman's voice whispers, a strange metallic tinge to each word. "Help me..." The voice repeats as Sephiroth stands.

"Who are you?" Sephiroth asks the shadows of the trees, holding his blade ready to strike. "Why do you ask for my help?"

"Help me..." The voice moans out again, an alien like figure coming into view, long string like hair and red tears falling from its feminine face.

Sephiroth eyes her scrutinously, unknowingly letting his guard down. She looked so familiar, and yet he couldn't put a name to her face. But he could see it within his grasp, shrouded by a murky layer in his mind. He was so close, his hand reaching out to touch her face. "Je-"

"Sephiroth!" Braska yells from his tent, upper body out, looking at Sephiroth with wide eyes. "Get away from it!" He yells and Sephiroth turns, hair flaring out. Before either can move further though, the sinspawn behind Sephiroth swings, a strange lion like beast with a single wing sprouting from its back, and a masculine face, almost like a mask upon it's face. The beast tears claws through the smooth leather coat, Sephiroth yelling out as three claws run through his shoulder blades and something within him sending wave after wave of agonizing pain through him. But, looking at the sinspawn looming over him, he can only think of one word to describe it.

Angel.

Auron was panicking. His lord was in danger, not to mention that one of the two new members was on the ground twitching and panting as he bleeds onto the forest floor. Strangely, Jecht was the one to move first, shoving Braska back and holding his blade to the sinspawn threateningly, still not being able to hold it up the whole way, even with both hands on, it was threatening to fall. "Come on then you big ugly bastard!" He yells to it as Auron unsheathes his blade beside him.

Braska readies himself behind them, staff clutched close to his body. The battle began with a flurry, Jecht rushing in with a battlecry and Auron bracing himself in front of Braska as he softly chants a spell. Jecht is flung back within second though, panting and not even able to put a scratch in the beast's armour.

Behind them, Braska swings his staff, the area around the beast bursting into flames, but not catching any of the surroundings on fire. Auron shifts his hold on his sword and runs forward, small particles of a yellow substance wreathing around his blade. The sinspawn flinches, but sweeps a clawed hand out and knocking Auron back.

"I've lowered its defenses!" Auron yells to Jecht as the sinspawn snarls and lumbers forward with a strange gait. Jecht smirks, sloppily swinging his sword at the beast. Auron growls and runs forward too as Braska casts another fire spell.

The sinspawn falls, shattering into soft lights as usual. "All right!" Jecht yells, thrusting a fist into the air. "What was that thing anyway?" He asks, facing Auron and Braska with a curious look on his face. "I mean, i've seen fiends before and all that, but that one seemed different."

"That was a sinspawn." Auron says as he and Braska kneel next to Sephiroth, whose eyes are still firmly closed. "Sin drops them after an attack."

"There haven't been any rumours about an attack though." Braska says as he joins Auron next to the fallen guardian, examining the wound with a keen eye and pressing his hands to Sephiroth's back lightly. "We should keep moving. I healed most of his wounds, but he really should be seen by a professional."

"I'm not carrying him again." Auron says, still kind of angry about before. He turns and begins to pack up the camp. "It should be three hours to Macalania temple. He can get help there." He continues boredly.

Jecht seems about to protest, but sighs when Braska simply helps Auron pack. He rolls his eyes and crouches down, arching a brow quizzically. Braska had healed some of the wound, even though the coat was in tatters, one sleeve hanging off his arm. "Alright big guy." Jecht says as he grabs one of the slightly taller man's arms, trying to be mindful of the hair. "Apparently the guys at Macadamia can...hm?" He cuts himself off, and leans over with Sephiroth on his back, plucking up a large black feather. "Now why would there be a feather here?"

"Jecht, we ought to leave soon!" Braska yells from where he and Auron stand side by side, bags in hand.

"Yeah, yeah!" Jecht yells back, tucking the feather into his headband and hefting Sephiroth up higher, taking his sword that he had set aside in hand. Jecht wasn't looking forward to this. Yes, he was fit, but he had a bit of trouble hefting the sword up each time. He had never done anything like this in his time. Fortunately, Sephiroth was considerably lighter than he expected.

Sephiroth was lost in a haze of memories. Nearly all of them were muddled, or seen through a haze. There was a mist over his mind, and he felt that there was something within him that was blocking everything out. One, and only one made itself clear to him. It seemed to pull him in from the murky shadows of his mind.

He was walking down a stone street, and he felt that there was something different. His hair was shorter, and his coat dragged on the floor slightly. He was unable to control where he was moving, but found that his birthday came to him. February, 7th, 1964.

The streets were colored brightly, signs flashing and cars rushing. Every now and then there was a guard in blue and gray armour gaping at him, eyes glittering in admiration. He looked down at the three pink tickets in his hand. They said- "Come on kid, bring some friends. Having the almighty Sephiroth there is sure to be good for business."- Loveless, come see the famous epic on the stage! Opening dates September 13th to September 21st, open 5pm to 10pm.

He found himself sighing forlornly, fiddling with the silver ponytail thrown over his shoulder. It was only 4:45 pm. He was early for the show, and yet not so early that he could go do something else beforehand. So he sat on one of the double benches outside the theater. Luckily, many of the patrons had already gone inside to get away from the slight chill, so he wasn't pestered much.

"I can't BELIEVE they're sold out!" Someone whines loudly, slumping heavily onto the bench on Sephiroth's other side, Sephiroth glancing briefly over his shoulder to get a glance of ginger hair. Next to him, another sits down more carefully.

"These things happen." A deeper voice replies much more calmly than the first. "You can always go next time."

"That's in a MONTH!" The first one yells in a very pouty voice. "I am the greatest Loveless fan, and here they won't let me see the play!"

Sephiroth couldn't help but roll his eyes. This man was so desperate to see this play. It was almost scary. Sephiroth sighs. He didn't know why he did it, but he turned sideways and shoved his hand between the two, holding in his hand two of the small pink tickets. "I have extra." He says, tone not changing.

"You would just give them away?" The deeper voice asks, not looking back yet as the other seems ready to cry in delight.

"I have no one else to invite." Sephiroth replies boredly, getting up and preparing to head into the building. Only to be stopped by the deeper voice putting a hand onto his shoulder.

"Wait...aren't you Sephiroth?" He asks in a slightly hushed voice as Sephiroth turns to face him. The man behind him was tall. Not as tall as Sephiroth, but close. He had short black hair and tan skin, matched with the familiar glowing blue eyes of a SOLDIER.

The one behind him who was cradling the tickets as though they were children had strawberry blonde hair and had much softer features than the first, but his eyes too were the bright iridescent blue. They both wore the clothing of the third class SOLDIERs.

"I am." Sephiroth responds. He knew he was a bit of a legend among SOLDIERs. He was the only first class in 60 years. Huh. Strange he remembered that and nothing else.

"You know, you won't be the only first class for long." The second one says with a slight glare, despite having just gotten free tickets. "We'll reach you. Just wait and see."

"I'm sorry sir." The first one says, giving his friend a warning look, and Sephiroth a respective head bow. "Please forgive my friend. He is a little bit too ambitious."

"I have heard it before. From very many different recruits." Sephiroth says, remaining emotionless as always. "None of them ever make it very far."

Blue is the only thing Sephiroth sees when he opens his eyes. An icy whitish-blue that glittered from the light coming from a fire in the corner. Briefly he wondered how it didn't melt any of the ice, but decided to ignore it. There was someone singing softly in the background. A song he swears he's heard before.

There was only one other person in the room. A short man with blue hair and long claws on his hands. Sephiroth didn't want to ask how he got them. The less he knew , the better.

With a brief glance down, he noticed he had bandages around his chest, wrapped around and over a shoulder. He couldn't feel anything though. Only a slight ache deep in his back. With a grunt, he sat up. the bandages shifting on his otherwise uncovered body.

The creature looks over, dark blue eyes excited. "Ah, Sir Sephiroth! You're awake!" It says and rushes over. "You should lie back down Sir. Lord Braska will be back soon." He says and attempts to push Sephiroth down by the shoulder.

"Where is Braska?" Sephiroth asks, moving the being's hand off of his shoulder. Maybe he hadn't meant to join them, but if he had to go along, he would be sure to do his job well.

"He has gone to the apothecary, before he goes into the cloister of trials." The creature answers and turns his head back to where he was making tea over the firefire, stirring the pot.

"Trials?" Sephiroth aska and slowly sits on the edge of the bed, moving the white covers out of his way. His coat was hung on a hook on the wall, the back was sown up, but the left arm was cut off at the shoulder.

"Yes." The creature says as he pours some of the tea into a few small cups. "A summoner must go through a series of tests before being allowed to enter the chamber of the-" He explains, but cuts off when he turns to see only a rumpled bedspread, Sephiroth gone, leaving nothing. Not his coat, and not the long sword lain against the wall.

Sephiroth wasn't exactly sure where the cloister of trials was. He assumed he'd go there and eventually, Braska would appear. Yes, he could simply leave, but where would he go? He still had not found anything in his mind about the world around him. Only a small bit about himself.

He didn't have anything to go on. Instinctively, he followed the sound of the singing. It wasn't a logical decision, he knew it in his mind, but it was more of an unconscious decision. The sound seemed to soothe him on some sort of an emotional level.

It seemed that it was coming from a more icy door then the rest. The door was overtaken by the cool solidified liquid. The brass handles were cold to his touch, and yet he opened them. He needed to know where it was coming from, and why it was so familiar.

The room was very much like the door implied, icy beyond belief, and yet there was not much sense to it. There was an archway, almost as though there were meant to be a bridge there, and yet there was none, only three platforms much beneath him. It was not that far. He thought though. Only about three meters. He had the feeling he had jumped much larger distances before this.

So he simply ignored the cryptic images on the walls around him, and took a few steps back, running quickly across the distance, and thrusting away from the platform, easily landing on the other side, only stumbling a bit when he nearly slips on the ice. He turned to the door on the other side, looking into the light room with an even larger door past a set of large stairs.

Slowly he began to speak, words becoming more and more melodic with each one until he was fully singing along with the woman around him. "Ieyui…" He sings, voice ringing into the area and matching the woman perfectly. "Nobomeno..." He continues with a look down as he comes to the door in front of him. "Renmiri…" It was not right to look at the door as he opened it. It was not right. "Yojuyogo…" The being in there was holy… "Hasatekanae…" He was a demon. "Kutamae…" A failure.

"An angel." A woman's voice speaks with such clarity that Sephiroth almost believes her as his head shoots up in shock. "You must not allow your past to resurface. Not yet." She says and walks away from a beautiful statue carved in the floor and covered in glass. "You hold the future in your hands. You will pass it on one day, but until then, you cannot be corrupted by the world around, or behind you."

Sephiroth did not find it in him to speak. This woman was bringing up strange memories for him. She looked so much like a mother. What else could she be? She was comforting him in his hour of need, and showing him kindness that he did not quite understand.

"Do not worry." She says and stands in front of her with a small smile gracing her features. "We, the aeons, will assist you whenever you so need it. Should only the summoner call for us."

"What…?" Braska asks when he opens the door, staring incredulously at Sephiroth standing alone in the chamber of the aeon. "Sephiroth, what are you doing here?" He asks, Jecht attempting to peer into the chamber from down at the bottom of the stairs.

"When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, The goddess descends from the sky, Wings of light and dark spread afar, She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting" Sephiroth says, walking past him with a more peaceful look on his face then any of the others have seen so far. "I will wait for you Braska. Enter the chamber.


	4. A Plain of Thunder

Chapter Four: A Plain of Thunder.

*F*I*N*A*L*F*A*N*T*A*S*Y*

"Get up Jecht." Auron says angrily, shaking Jecht as hard as he can, the tan man having fallen asleep on the icy ground as Braska nears his second hour in the chamber of the fayth. "Now. It's not allowed to sleep within the chamber." He continues.

"Perhaps allow him to sleep." Sephiroth says boredly, head on his hand. "We still have a long journey ahead of us yes? This might be the first time in a while he'll have spare time to sleep. Enjoy it while you can."

"It is not allowed to sleep in the chamber." Auron repeats with a slight annoyance. "Much less by a degenerate like him."

"While I do agree with the degenerate part, I do not understand the purpose of refusing a tired guardian sleep." Sephiroth responds, lifting his face slightly. "Perhaps you should rest as well Sir Auron. I can ensure our safety."

"You are the one who is injured." Auron says, but sits down on the other side of the stairs then Jecht and Sephiroth with a slightly suspicious look. "Should you not be the one who is sleeping and not here with us?"

"My injuries have not bothered me since I awoke." Sephiroth shrugs, returning his head to his hand. "The clerics must have cast something on me that helped."

Auron shrugs, brow furrowing as he thinks back to how much agony their silver haired companion seemed to be in when he was first hit by the strange sinspawn. Auron just couldn't comprehend the two new men they had come across. Perhaps it would be better if he just stopped trying and just kept an eye on the two while trying not to make them suspicious. With a slight nod, Auron lies his head down, closing his eyes but not falling asleep, listening intently to every sound made by the other two in the room...even though it's mostly just Jechts snoring.

Braska emerges with a cough, tired and hardly able to keep himself up with his hand propped on the doorway. "Um..." He mutters softly, watching Jecht and Sephiroth snore against each others shoulders softly. "What's going on?"

"Hm?" Auron jerks his head up, blinking sleepily. "When did you get out my lord?"

"Just a moment ago." Braska chuckles as Auron rushes to help him, grabbing one of his arms as they descend. "Perhaps we should wake them up. The clerics did offer us a room for a night. We should take them up on that offer."

"It happened again?" Auron asks as he helps Braska sit on the last step. "Has it not gotten any easier?"

"No, it has." Braska says tiredly while he rubs his eyes. "But that still doesn't mean it's easy. Hopefully it'll keep going at this rate."

Auron nods, sitting next to Braska. "Well, how do you propose we go about waking them up?" He asks while watching the other two.

"Maybe we should just let them sleep." Braska says with a smile. "This has certainly been a long day for everyone. Some sleep will do them well."

"So we just leave them here then?" Auron asks, looking slightly pleased. Maybe Braska would be with him too about getting rid ot them.

"No, of course not." Braska chuckles softly. "Perhaps we carry them?"

"What?" Sephiroth asks wearily, looking up from where he's sitting. "Why would you need to carry someone?" He continues, but stops with a look of disgust as he stares at his wet shoulder. "Ugh. disgusting." He stands up, wiping his coat.

"Ow..." Jecht mutters, rubbing his forehead. "What was that for ya long haired freak?!" He yells as he looks up, obviously angry and not in a good mood after being woken up.

"Dull sensed miscreant." Sephiroth says without looking over to Jecht.

Auron snorts in amusement. He still didn't trust Sephiroth, but he did seem to be enjoying things that embarass Jecht more and more.

"Come now, theres no need to start slinging insults." Braska chuckles, standing up uncertainly. "We should get out of here soon. We have to start for the thunder plains tommorrow morning." He continues as he walks to the door that led to the room, the rest following him.

"Is that some kind of fleet of airships?" Jecht asks as he follows them with a pouty walk. "Doesn't sound too safe, what with the thunder and all."

"Wha...?" Auron says, looking at him incredulously. "Where would you get the idea that it was an airship? The only ones who use those are the Al Bhed."

"Al's bed can fly an airship?" Jecht asks. They had only made it to the bridge and yet already, Auron was feeling a headache coming on.

"Look, the Al Bhed are a race that was enstranged from humans after Sin appeared." Braska explains as they continue down the icy walk, Jecht almost slipping. "They continued to make use of machina even after it was identified that machina was the corruption that needed to be purified."

"Man, are you guys idiots or something?" Jecht laughs as he opens the door to the temple obnoxiously. "Machina ain't gonna corrupt you. Who's dumb enough to believe that?!"

Slowly, several priests who were praying in front of a summoners statue glare over at Jecht with as much malice as a priest can have. "Er...please forgive him." Braska says nervously with a hand up. "He was attacked by Sin, he doesn't know what he's saying."

"I-!" Jecht begins, but winds up with a hand over his mouth, and a set of teal eyes glaring at him.

"Quiet down Jecht." Sephiroth hisses close to his ear, not bothering to look back at Sephiroth again, watching the priests go back to their prayers slightly irked. "Go along with it for now. Otherwise we might be looked upon in disfavour."

Jecht rolls his eyes with a sigh. Auron raised a brow at their whispers, suspicion rearing it's head yet again. "My lord, you should get to bed soon. We have a long journey ahead of us, and you must rest."

"Yes, good idea Auron. You should all as well. The further south we go, the more fiends appear. As well as more attacks by Sin." Braska answers as he starts down the hall the priests had instructed him to go to when he was tired.

"Yes, would you mind explaining to me what this 'sin' is?" Sephiroth asks when they get well out of the priests earshot. "I feel we'll need to know what it is if we are to battle it."

"Oh, of course." Braska answers, but yawns loudly between his words. "I'm sorry. See, Sin is the source of all humans hate and...well, sins. It's a demon that plagues the continent. After a summoner goes upon the journey, we get ten years of peace. After those years, it must all happen again."

Sephiroth rolls his eyes as he sees the same look surface in his eyes as when he was trying to tell the priests the truth. Some strange mixture of annoyance and cockiness. "I'm going to be right next door my lord, should you need any help at all, simply knock." Auron says and drags Jecht along with him, Sephiroth following tiredly.

Sephiroth was walking along a beach. He didn't remember why he was here, but he felt a hatred planted deep in his heart. It was as though he had something to do...someone to kill. He just didn't remember who. 

"It's almost time my son." A voice echoes into his mind, voice dark and strange. "Just a little longer, and your work will be done. We'll be together."

"Who...who are you?" Sephiroth asks, finding that this time his voice is his own.

"What do you mean?" The voice asks, slight confusion tinting his voice. "I'm-" She attempts to continue, but is cut of by a monstrous roar, a form making itself clear on the horizen.

"What...?" Sephiroth asks almost scaredly with his eyes wide as he watches an enormous beast rising from the sea, such a strange design of scales upon it's body. "Sin...?"

Sin roars in response, launching to Sephiroth who watches, frozen in shock as the voice cackles in his mind. He couldn't help but think who they were to laugh at him, the hatred in his mind rising up again as the black of Sins open, gaping mouth descends upon him. And he screams...

Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess

We seek it thus, and take to the sky

Ripples form on the water's surface

The wandering soul knows no rest.

Auron woke up to a scream, jolting up in shock and looking around frantically from the floor which he had made slightly more cozy by laying a blanket and pillow down. Jecht, who had claimed the bed, jerked up in equal confusion, looking at Sephiroth, whos holding his head in his hands, panting and shivering.

"What the hell man?" Jecht asks in confusion. "Why'd ya scream? Ya have a bad dream? You didn't even scream when that sinspawn got ya."

"I...sin..." He whispers, looking up with a stricken and still slightly asleep look. "I was being attacked and there was a voice..."

"Okay, jeez, calm down crazy." Jecht says with his hands up, finally looking slightly serious. "Look, I had to deal with teammates havin' nightmares before. Listen to me, take deep breaths, and try not to stay still."

Auron cocked a brow at Jecht, watching as he helped Sephiroth up and paced restlessly alongside the tall silver haired man. "Okay, this calmed them down when I used to do this. You know blitzball right? See, the game has tons of rules to it. But usually I'd just recite the formations to them. Okay, Norma is where the players will all chase after the ball uness you tell them to do something else. And mark mode..."

Jecht continues on, Sephiroth slowly calming down to the point where he sits back down. "So, what freaked you out so much?"

"I'm not sure. It wasn't ahat happened itself. It was what it made me feel as it was happening." Sephiroth mutters before looking back up with a genuine smile on his face. "Don't worry Jecht. It has past. Thank you for what you did."

"No problem man." He replies with a toothy grin and a thumbs up. "Try to get back asleep huh? I'm gonna lie down some more."

Auron sighs softly, laying his head down again. Those men were getting too close. They were all just going to all go their seperate ways in the end anyway...

"Arighty then Braska, got everything I need." Jecht says with a smile, holding up a bag mostly filled with things that the monks had given them. Only thing he kept was the picture of his family. "Which way are we headed?"

"We'll continue south." Braska answers as Sephiroth and Auron catch up. "Keep going until we reach the thunder plains."

"So..." Jecht says, pointing one finger at each of the pathways, unsure as to which way to go.

"Left." Auron, Braska, and Sephiroth answer in unison.

"Oh, okay." He says and follows them with a shiver. "Wait how'd you know Silver?"

"Don't call me that." Sephiroth replies with an annoyed look. "And to answer your question, the sun always rises in the east." He says and points to the rising sun.

"Jeez, don't say it like that." Jecht mutters, wrapping his arms close to his body. "It's not like it's common knowledge or something, is it?"

"It actually is Jecht." Braska adds in with a chuckle.

"Ah, whatever." Jecht says with a wave of his hand. "Stupid snow. I'm gonna freeze my tattoo off."

"Maybe you should make it a habit to wear a shirt then." Sephiroth says, rolling his eyes.

"Don't worry Jecht." Braska says, walking calmly with his staff as a walking stick. "Only a few hours, and it'll start to get warmer."

Jecht sighs, just as Sephiroth stops, fiends on the side of the road in front of him. "Well, maybe kickin' some ass'll warm me up."

Auron rolls his eyes, but unsheathes his sword, Sephiroth doing the same on his side. "Keep in formation Jecht."

"Oh yeah, PAS right?" Jecht asks with a smile, swinging his large sword from his back. At least it was getting easier to wield by now.

"PAS?" Sephiroth asks as he swings his sword, cutting a fiebd out of the air in one hit. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Protect A Summoner." Jecht responds, watching Sephiroth with barely veiled admiration as he stops yet another fiend in its tracks. "Duh." He says and runs forward into the fray.

"He didn't even bother getting INTO the position." Auron snarls angrily as he runs after him, Braska chanting a thunder spell behind them as they launch into full attack, tearing into the icy fiends with practiced ease. The only problem had been the number, but that was taken care of soon too, and they all came out of the fray with only a few bruises on them all...mostly Jecht.

"That went shockingly well." Braska says as he leads the rest down the path. The comment drew a cocked brow from Auron, and an indignant snort from Jecht. The path was fairly clear after the batch of fiends, and they only ran into a few others, but most of them fell fairly quickly to the barrage of blades and magic. Luckily, Braska didn't have to use any summons.

The path was winding, and it calmed them how simple and normal it seemed, away from even the little machine that they use in the few cities that allow them. It was good to have nothing but the fresh air and the wilderness for miles upon miles. But for Jecht and Sephiroth, it seemed strangely unnerving. Sephiroth had no idea what the reason was that he felt this way, but Jecht knew why. He had never had this much space to do anything he wanted with. He was surrounded by skyscrapers and huge flashing buildings wherever he went, and now only the open sky was in front of him. He liked it, the freedom it gave him, but it was suffocating as well.

They reached the thunder plains by the evening, the air getting slightly warmer, and yet still chilly, with a cool wind running down, the whole group forcing Sephiroth to one side to avoid getting hair blown into their face. Jecht smiled as they stared at the large towers along the road, collecting lightning as they stood tall and unmoving. It was almost a beautiful sight to them, after being surrounded by the white and shining snow all day, to be near the dark and quiet cloudy plains.

There was rain pouring down slightly further within, as they followed the trail with practiced ease and clumsiness, Jecht and Sephiroth never having been here before. The thunder had never gotten too close, only nearing them the few times that they had to dash the distance between two towers. Of course, there were a few fiends, but it was so dark and cloudy that they could hardly see them, and the fiends seemed to be having the same problem.

By the time they reached Rin's, they were soaked to the bone and ready to fall over from exhaustion.

"Come on then." Auron says as Braska and Rin share a cheery greeting in Al bhed. "We got the room for the night, we'll hang our clothes to dry and continue in the morning." He says, too tired and miserable to say anything to make the two in front of him argue.

"Good idea man." Jecht replies with a yawn, rubbing his eyes and trying to stay awake, peeling his few wet clothes off after they get into the room. Rin always provided a small change of clothes in every room, of course, that didn't mean they were guaranteed to fit, Jecht having to forsake the shirt after he accidentally ripped one seam attempting to button it. Sephiroth on the other hand, was able to wear both, but had a stretch of his ankles and stomach out. Auron had just ignored the idea of the shirt, getting the pants on and slipping under the covers, already asleep when his companions entered the room in their mismatched clothing.

Thankfully, they were able to sleep fairly easily since, in this room, there were enough beds that no one had to sleep on the floor. Braska on the other hand, slept like a baby after speaking with an old friend, warming by the fire, and getting into the perfectly matched clothing that Rin provided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, another done. I'm not sure I like how this one ended out, what with the writers block and all, it seems kind of loosely strung together. Oh well. Hopefully the next one will be better. I have this one all planned out. Jecht and Sephiroth are gonna get into some antics in Guadosalom. Hee hee. It's gonna be funny. Anyway, not sure how long this thing is gonna last, but I have plans to go through to the storyline of Final Fantasy X. Not X-2 though. That game kind of annoyed me. Yuna became a bitch! I liked her in the first one! Anyway, i'll try to update soon, thank you to anyone who reads. You are my inspiration! :D


	5. Guadosalom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Chapter five already! How exciting! So, here comes a sort of filler chapter. Kind of showing how they bond. It's gonna be fun~.

Chapter Five: Guadosalom

*F*I*N*A*L*F*A*N*T*A*S*Y*

"Hurry it up people!" Jecht yells across the plains loudly and flinching when thunder booms above him. "Come on! This place is making me all twitchy!"

"It's okay Jecht." Brask calls down from where the rest of them are going along much more slowly, and much more calmly. "The towers attract most of the thunder. The odds of getting hit by it is about one on a thousand."

"Yeah, and already about 200 bolts came down! I'm bound to get hit by at least one today." Jecht yells back nervously. "Come on, you gotta agree with me! Right Silver?!"

"Do. Not. Call me that." Sephiroth repeats with a very irked look on his face. "And I don't believe that the thunder is strong enough to kill a man. Injure perhaps, but we have potions and a man who knows white magic."

"Calm down." Auron says to Jecht as he walks past him. "You said you had a wife and kid right? What do you think they would feel if they saw you like this?"

"Shut up!" Jecht yells back, scooting closer to the tower nervously. "My kids a wimp! Cant even kick a blitzball right!"

"Um...is that truly that important Jecht?" Braska asks curiously from where he's walking next to Sephiroth ahead of the other guardians. "It is, after all, just a sport."

"O'course it's just a damn sport!" Jecht roars angrily as he dashes to follow them, momentarily forgetting his fear of being hit by lightning. "But the kid just won't shut up about it! Ya figure he'd at least be good at it!"

"Er...maybe you shouldn't be so angry with him Jecht." Braska says as Jecht catches up with them. "I'm sure the kid has many things on his mind. Maybe he's just trying to live up to the expectations being set for him."

Jecht mutters underneath his breath angrily. "Ya know what, i'll show my family how ta be strong!" He yells with a wide grin, shoving a recording sphere into an annoyed Aurons hands, dashing into the plains as fast as he can. "Go on, turn it on!"

Auron sighs and flicks the tiny switch on the bottom of the sphere, Sephiroth moving to stand on his right, Braska on his left. "You are a fool Jecht." Sephiroth says from off-screen. "The chances of being hit have risen by approximately 31.42%."

"Ugh, you're so smart huh?" Jecht yells and puts hands on his hips. "Why don't you come out here huh? If you're so perfect then? Show my family what you're made of!"

With a roll of his eyes, Sephiroth walks calmly out. "If you insist that I steal the thunder of your family film, very well."

"Hey, i'm the star, and you better not forget it Bucko!" Jecht yells and jabs a single finger onto Sephiroths soaked leather clad chest.

"You are such a creten that you have forgotten my name?" Sephiroth asks calmly, smirk slightly on his face. "Perhaps I need to beat it into you in order for you to remember?"

"You think you can-..." Jecht says, but glances over and notices Auron chatting with Braska and miss aiming the sphere. "Hey, Auron come on! You're missing-!" He yells, but cuts off when a huge flash echoes among the plains, immediatly between both Sephiroth and Jecht, both falling to the side with a yell.

Auron laughs almost mockingly, making sure to record them as Jecht and Sephiroth sit up with their hair sticking up. Jecht looks almost ready to burst into angry flames, but looks over to Sephiroth wide his mouth gaping, watching the long hair slowly settle down, but still looking strange and uncombed. After a small snort, he breaks out into loud laughter, slamming a hand onto his knee and howling into the air as Sephiroth glares at the others traveling with him.

"That's definately staying on." Auron chuckles, Braska stifling his laughter behind him.

"Hell yeah!" Jecht yells happily, slinging an arm over a moody Sephiroths shoulders. " You're gonna make one hell of an impression buddy." He laughs, Sephiroth snorting and ignoring him, running his hands through his hair as he and the rest of the group walk along once more.

 

Jecht whistles, impressed and watching the soft light glint off of the blue and white surroundings of the legendary city of Guadosalom. "Man, how do they even make these things?" He asks and taps his knuckles against the rock wall next to him. "I mean, come on! My Jecht shot would only crack this stuff!"

"What, seriously?" Auron asks in confusion at Jecht. "You really think that a blitzball would be able to crack the walls of Guadosalom? That is nonsense. Sin itself was unable to break them."

"Do you think that was becuase he couldn't break it, or couldn't reach it?" Sephiroth asks and admires the nice wall next to him. "This city is, of course, underground."

"Perhaps." Braska says as they follow further into the cave, the Guado in it watching them curiously. Not that any of the travellers could have blamed them. They did look pretty strange after all. "They have an inn down that pathway." He says and points to a path leading over another one beneath it, the stone carved to perfection many years ago. "If you would like to get a room, i'll be down in a few hours."

"Where are you going my lord?" Auron asks him as he begins on his way down a path leading lower.

"I was going to stop at the farplane." Braska responds and continues on his way, Auron following him under the excuse of keeping an eye on him.

"So..." Jecht says as he stares at Sephiroth curiously. "You wanna just...walk around or...go to that inn?"

"Neither of us has ever been here before yes?" Sephiroth asks Jecht, who nods in confusion. "Well, there are two options in situations like this. One would be to earn all of the cultural experience you can. Or one could play it safe and simply return to the inn and wait for their allies to return. I assume you would like the first option more?"

"Hah! Hell yeah!" Jecht yells and snatches Sephiroths left hand, boredly noticing that his sleeve is still fully torn. "C'mon, these guado things are so wierd! I wanna see whats up with these funny guys!"

"You should probably keep the insults to a minimum when we are surrounded by those you are insulted." Sephiroth interrupts, glancing around as some guado turn to glare at them. "We do not seem to be making a very good impression."

"Aw, who cares?" Jecht says, not letting go of Sephiroths wrist. "They're the wierd freaks with blue skin."

Sephiroth growls lowly, glancing around and dragging Jecht off, a hand over the tan mans mouth, muffling his angry comments. "Quiet down you fool!" Sephiroth snarls. "We are obviously not welcome here now, you creten."

"Ah, shut up." Jecht mutters, shoving the pale hand off of his mouth. "Lets just go." He says and starts walking normally, Sephiroth alongside him.

They had no idea where Braska and Auron had gone, but neither really cared at the moment. After about half an hour, they got endorsed in the guado culture, admiring the small trinkets and pieces of art in the small stores scattered around the cave.

The guado were mostly civil to them, but they could definately tell when one of the guado had heard what Jecht was saying, since they were getting glares from them.

It was mostly quiet and calm somehow, Sephiroth and Jecht eagerly asking questions. It was only when they came to a tiny stall along one of the pathways that the chaos started up again.

On the stand, there was only a small guado woman, and on the stall, there were only two long gauntlets, designed to cover an entire arm, one silvery and light, and another slightly darker, a more cast iron look to it, and obviously much heavier.

"Holy damn man, these are awesome!" Jecht says, kneeling over the stall and touching one hand over the cast iron one, as Sephiroth admires the silver one. "How much are they?"

"1600 gil each sirs." The woman says with a smile on her face.

"You know we cannot afford that Jecht." Sephiroth says to Jecht, rolling his eyes. "We haven't had much gil since we got here."

"Oh yeah? How much you got then?" Jecht asks as he pulls his worn and torn pouch from his pants. "A lot of my gil got washed away in the water. I think I only got like 800 gil on me."

"I have not yet checked." Sephiroth responds, with a shrug. "I highly doubt that I have anything on me though."

"Yeah, probably right." Jecht says and rubs a hand on his chin. "I always forget that not eveyone has as much money as I do. Probably all got washed away huh?"

"Look." The woman interrupts. "I can lower it to 1000 each, if that would help?" She asks with a smile.

"Yeah. Thanks." Jecht says to the woman and turns back. "Come on then Silver. We got some money to raise huh?"

"I suppose we do." Sephiroth chuckles, for once not correcting the nickname. "Perhaps it would do better if you had not insulted all of the guado."

"Come on!" Jecht yells. "You really think they're still gonna hold that against me?"

"Yes." Sephiroth responds swiftly. "They do not seem to be a very hospitable race. Either way, it's going to be very hard to earn money in a city that does not welcome us."

"Well, back in Zanarkand, there used to be these street performers who'd just sit around doing something, and people would give 'em money." Jecht says. "You got any special skills?"

"Hm..." Sephiroth mutters and looks down with a hand on his chin. "Perhaps just a mock fight would do."

"Yeah, mock fight!" Jecht yells and thrusts a fist in the air, dragging Sephiroth with him. "We get to fight, charge 200 gil to watch, and then we get our armour!"

"Come with me then." Sephiroth says and walks down the ramp, coming to a clearing that is more or less clear, a few guado wandering around. "Remember, this is a mock fight. No weapons and no attempting to truly harm each other. We simply need to keep their attention."

"Yeah, yeah." Jecht says with a wave of his hand, setting his blade onto the bench behind them, Sephiroth doing the same. "I've had to do this before, you know, get the press's attention." He says, and turns around, waving theatrically. "Come one, come all! See a fantastic lesson in battle and blood! Only 200 gil per person!" He yells, all of the guado looking around, most ignoring them, and others staring at them in confusion."

"Maybe they don't enjoy battle as much as you do." Sephiroth cuts in, shaking his head. "We may have to think of a different skill to showcase."

"Um..." Jecht says and rubs the back of his neck. "You know how to play blitzball?"

"No." Sephiroth replies, Jecht pulling a blitzball out of his bag.

"Ya know what, you just hit the ball back to me then in the fanciest way you can." Jecht tells him. "These people seem to like blitzball too, so maybe this'll be a better way."

"Very well." Sephiroth replies and moves a few feet away. "I am ready whenever you are."

Jecht smirks and snatches an old, dusty bowl from near the bench, blowing out a puff of smoke and placing it on the ground. "There. Now, you ready Silver?"

"Go on then." Sephiroth says and gets into a more ready position, some guado slowing down as they walk, watching curiously as Jecht launches the blitzball as hard as he can, the ball hardly a blur, slamming into Sephiroths head with a thump.

"Um..." Jecht mutters, watching the ball bounce back to him. "You're supposed to hit it back at me. Remember?"

"Yes." Sephiroth answers and rubs his head a bit. "I simply didn't expect you to throw it so quickly."

"Oh, or maybe you can't keep up?" Jecht asks with a smirk and a cocked brow. "Why not actually try to hit it next time then huh?"  
Sephiroth grimaces angrily, crouching low and putting his hands out readily. Jecht laughs, throwing the ball once again, just as harshly as before, Sephiroth forcing an open palm onto it as it reaches his face once again, forcing it back perhaps even faster.  
Jecht yelps in as manly a way as he can, punching the ball back, Sephiroth returning it in kind as more guado watch curiously as the ball gains more and more speed, some of them hardly able to see it by the tenth rotation.

After about 25 rotations, the ball finally misses, going flying past Jecht, slamming through a wall with a crash. "Holy-!" Jecht yells, looking behind himself in shock. "That's gotta be a new record or something, jeez!"

Some of the guado applause, only a few dropping in a small amount of gil. All of them leave though, none bothering to glance back, leaving only a small child left in the clearing, long blue hair and pale skin. "Why are you staying here child?" Sephiroth asks him in a bored tone. "Should you not leave as the rest of them had?"

"What are YOU doing here?" He asks, looking at the two adults with an almost glare. "This is supposed to be public land, no performance artists are allowed."

"We ain't no performance artists you brat!" Jecht yells to the kid angrily. "We're just here to make money!"

"Not to side with the child, but that technically makes us performance artists." Sephiroth cuts in, a single hand held up, only to get slapped aside by Jecht.

"Shut up!" Jecht hisses and snatches the hand he had just slapped, dragging Sephiroth with him and making sure to grab their swords before looking up, sighing at the lack of sky to gaze at.

"Jecht." Sephiroth whispers into the darker mans ear after a few minutes, motioning with his finger for Jecht to look up at a building. Jechts eyes widen and he watches as a man atop the building aims a bow for the tiny blue haired child in the clearing all by himself.

"Holy crap, we gotta save him!" Jecht yells, ignoring how angry he was at the kid just a few minutes for kicking them out of the park. "Go get the archer Silver, i'll go save the kid."

Sephiroth nods and runs off, easily able to dash through the open door and running up the many floors of stairs to get the archer.

Jecht on the other hand, runs to the kid, ignoring the archer who slowly moves his aim over to him, tackling the kid over behind the stone bench that their swords had been on just a few minutes ago. "Shut up kid." He snarls at the kids indignant look. "There's an archer up there. Aimin at you for some reason."

Suddenly, a dull thud resounds through the clearing, Jecht looking back to see the archer on the ground, blood slowly pooling around him, Sephiroth standing above him with a bloodied sword and hair waving around him. Jecht suddenly has the urge to flee from Sephiroth, seeing the terrifying teal eyes so filled with bloodlust. Sephiroth nods to him before turning to go back down the stairs.

"Alright. You should be fine for now kid." Jecht says and lets the kid up, looking at him with a cocky smile.

"Why did you help me?" He asks as Sephiroth walls back out of the door, having lost the strange moment he was having. "I'm going to die someday anyway, why bother?"

"What the hell?" Jacht mutters and looks at the kid in shock. "What's wrong with you kid? I saved you cause you were in danger. Just cause life's gonna end doesn't mean you can't enjoy it eh?"

"I..." The kid says and looks to the ground sadly.

"So just who are you anyway?" Jecht asks, sitting the kid on the bench and slumping down next to him.

"Seymour." The kid replies, looking up to Jecht with slightly happy eyes.

"Nice ta meet'cha bud. I'm Jecht. That's Sephiroth." Jecht says and pats Seymours shoulder, Sephiroth appraoching them. "How old are you, 14?"

"12." Seymour responds, Sephiroth sitting on his other side.

"I got a son too ya know. 9 years old, scrawny little thing." He says, putting his fingers close together. "You'd probably like him. He's a hyper little handful, but he's a good kid."

"Sorry to interrupt Jecht, but we must be going soon. Auron and Braska will be getting to the inn soon, and may I remind you, we've failed in our endeavor." He says and points to the wall that has a blitzball stuck several feet into it.

"Ah, damn." Jecht mutters, getting up. "Damn things, too expensive. Oh well, we better get going then." He says, beginning to walk away. "See ya then kid." He says, waving as he and Sephiroth walk away.

 

Seymour admired them. Yes, he thought that the dark skinned one was sort of an imbecile, and the silver haired one was intimidating, but they were the first ones to try and save him in many years. Everyone stopped when they found out that his mother always managed to help him. But they were different. They genuinely didn't know who he was.

He followed them, watching with keen eyes as they continued down the road, noticing the way that Jecht's eyes lingered on the arm guard on a small home owned stall. Sephiroth glanced over to them too, but much more discreetly. Seymour looks at the woman behind the stand before walking up with a small smile on his face when he imagines the look on their faces when he sees them again.


	6. Ixion, Guardian Knight of Thunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. Depressed. Can't get a job. Whatever. It's better for you guys though, since more free time, more i'll write. But it also means the more i'll whine. Oh well. I hope this has managed to keep your attention. Don't worry, there'll be more action after the moonflow. Soon mine compadres! The hour of thine anxiety is NIGH! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
> 
> Yeah, I'm weird. Whatever, get used to it.

Chapter Six: Ixion, Guardian Knight of Thunder.

 

*F*I*N*A*L*F*A*N*T*A*S*Y*

"Oy, Braska!" Jecht yells, waving to Braska as they meet along one of the blueish bridges across the city of Guadosalom, Sephiroth walking next to him. "Finally found you! What've you guys been doing this long?"

"Sorry." Braska chuckles softly, Auron beside him rolling his eyes. "I had not meant to stay in the farplane this long. I just got distracted."

"The farplane?" Sephiroth asks as they start back down the pathway the way that Jecht and Sephiroth had come up from. "What is that?"

"It's a sort of ethereal realm." Braska replies to the silver haired man. "It allows the people of this world to speak to the souls of the deceased."

"Huh." Jecht says and scratches his head. "We never had anything like that in Zanarkand."

"Figures you wouldn't." Braska says. "People didn't die as much back then. There would be no reason to reconcile with their souls."

Jecht shrugs, the groups continuing on. "Perhaps we should stay at the inn milord." Auron says and motions to the inn across the street. "It has gotten fairly late, and I do not believe you should attempt to gain the aeon unless you are well rested."

"Sounds like a good idea." Jecht says and bumps his knuckles against Sephiroths shoulder. "This idiot here threw a blitzball into a wall."

"What?" Auron asks in confusion, watching them incredulously. "Sin wasn't able to break it. How would Sephiroth be able to break it?"

"Well..." Jecht says and scratches his head. "Maybe cause we tossed it back and forth a bunch of times?"

"Yes, maybe the increased force of the ball being pushed back and forth increased the forward motion of the-" Sephiroth says, a hand on his chin.

"Just...stop it." Jacht says, hands up and looking utterly confused. "No one knows what you're saying, so why even."

"Due to the motion constantly being increased, it must have built up enough momentum to force it into the crystalline wall of the-"

"Please stop." Auron says, Sephiroths eyes seeming dark as he continues with the ramble. "We really do not need to justify it."

"We need to get to the inn soon if we're going to get help from the next fayth." Braska says, looking back at his guardians who had stopped. "We still have to hurry through our pilgrimage, remember, Zanarkand awaits."

"Hah, yeah." Jecht says and puts his hands behind his head with a smile. "Then i'll finally be able to prove you guys wrong. I'll show ya, Zanarkand'll be there."

The temple, as always, was beautiful and lavishly decorated with different cultures contributions to the fayth of the temple. This one was more colored in the scheme of lightning, and the walls were not the icy blueish that they had gotten used to in the previous one. It wasn't like the first they had been to, though only Auron and Braska knew of the gravity like walkways and the dark colours that made up Bahamut's temple. Jecht had left a few minutes before, only arriving a couple seconds ago, the rest had gone together, Braska and Auron talking in a friendly manner as Sephiroth walked slightly behind them, contemplating whatever it was that popped into his mind.

Something seemed off about Jecht, but it was nothing that any of them could place. So they had figured that he was just not having a good day. The confusing thing was that he was still happy and talkative.

In front of the large double doors that always seemed to be in front of the cloister of trials, a representative in front of the door once again, in front of a box and with a key around his chest in the form of a necklace. "Ah, hello travelers." The guado says to them with a courteous bow. "Are you here to attempt the cloister of trials?"

"We're here to get past the cloister of trials, yes." Braska answers with a kind smile, Jecht patting him on the shoulder and congratulating him on his winning attitude.

"We have a fund for now, for the summoners going into the cloister of trials. They are to be given some supplies for their time in there with the fayth." He says, unlocking the chest and removing one of the several bags in it. "Here. It contains five mega potions, five remedies, five pheonix down, and a total of 2000 gil. We hope it will help you in your journey to return peace to Spira."

"Thank you for your generosity." Auron says, having been the one handed the bag. "I'm sure it will contribute to the future we are trying to ensure."

"That is the hope of any and all who contribute their gil to this project." The guado reaponds before turning back away from them, tucking the large key into his clothing.

"This is something very important to the people isn't it?" Sephiroth asks as þey open the door, coming into a large hallway, familiar markings on the ground and a sharp electric air around everything in the large labyrinth.

"Yes." Braska answers, keeping a keen eye on all of the surroundings of them, looking for any clue as to what they're supposed to complete here. "With the defeat of Sin, all of Spira will fall into a state of peace and tranquility for ten years."

"Milord, look out!" Auron yells and pushes Braska back from where a fiend falls from the roof, ready to cleave Braska in half. "No more speaking, we must be prepared and ready for battle!"

The travelers all unsheathe their respective weapons, Sephiroth, Jecht, and Auron standing in front of Braska, the summoner preparing to chant any spell that seems like it would work on the strangely bat like fiend. "Go on!" Auron yells, focusing on the fiend, searching for any sign of a limb that he could injure to decrease it's physical strength. "Distract it!"

"Search for any weakness it might have!" Braska yells out, the dark fiend hazing at him with hatred glowing in its red bead like eyes. Braska looks away briefly, unable to stand the look the beast is giving him.

With a roar, Jecht launches himself to the fiend with his sword out, sloppy style even more so then usual and Sephiroth watching with narrow eyes as the fiend screeches, sending wings open and shaking the tan man off of itself. "It's weakness is thunder!" Sephiroth yells and runs forward, long sword poised to strike at the fiends wings as Jecht stumbles back up from where he had hit his head on the dark wall, and Auron running, small red particles seeming to swarm around his blade as he strikes at the fiends wings as well.

Braska chants a thunder spell, small sigil on the ground beneath him. Jecht stands back with a hand on his head, vision swimming. Sephiroth dodges back when Auron reaches him, allowing Auron to hit the fiend before running back in, the fiend hitting him in the same way as he had Jecht, but his wounded wing doing hardly as much damage as it had to Jecht.

The thunder explodes onto the fiend, Braska giving a small war cry as Auron and Sephiroth dodge back, the fiend stumbling down with a pained roar. "Now!" Auron yells, all of the three guardians rushing forward to attack with all of their might.

The fiend weakly cries out as it falls, fading into bursts of pyreflies, the travelers watching the spectacle. "How did you know it was weak to thunder Sephiroth?" Braska asks Sephiroth as they catch their breath.

"I suppose the fiend simply gave off the air of one weak to thunder. I guess you could say I scanned the enemy." He says while putting his sword back onto his back, the fiend not having shed any blood onto his blade.

"An impressive skill." Auron says as he replaces his sword to the place on his hip, pausing for a moment to take a swig from the bottle on his belt. "I'm sure it'll come in handy more then once."

"We ought to keep going." Braska says and motions to the rest of the labyrinth. "Theres not often more then a few enemies in the cloister of trials, so if none of you are injured." He says and moves down the hallway, staff in hand.

"So what, we just wait out here again?" Jecht asks and stares at the far side wall. "Ugh, talk about boring."

"I understand that the ritual can be a bit tedious, but you must understand it is absolutely necessary." Auron responds, sitting on the stairs in front of the double doors.

"At least it's not so cold as it was last time." Sephiroth says from where he's standing, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed and boredly fiddling with a strand of hair.

"Ugh. you guys are too stuck up." Jecht whines, slumping over violently, perking up almost immediatly and pulls a flask from his pocket. "Here, drink this. You guys must be 'dehydrated'. That must be why you're so boring."

"Jecht, what is that?" Auron asks, but Sephiroth shrugs and downs the entire contents of the flask in one monstrous gulp, looking at the flask with a strange look. Auron groans in annoyance, Jecht smirks happily.

"Ugh, that drink is abhorrent." Sephiroth says, remaining sleeve over his mouth, coughing and grimacing. He drops the flask purposfully. Auron glaces at Jecht angrily as Sephiroth suffers more, throat burning and eyes watering, coughing a storm and vision slightly blurry.

"What did you put in there?!" Auron yells at the tan man, grabbing his shoulders due to the lack of a shoulder to grab onto.

"I-it was just whiskey!" Jecht responds, Sephiroth sitting down unsteadily. "Holy damn, who would have thought that Silver would be such a light weight?"

Auron snarls, grabbing up the fallen flask, sniffing it scrutinously before pressing the rim to his tongue before deciding it was at least mostly alcohol. "You are absolutely sure that NOTHING was added?" Auron almost demanded.

"No way!" Jecht says and shakes his head. "I had that back from Zanarkand, knew the guy who made it, saw him take it from the keg myself! Why, what do you think could have been added."

"Any myriad of poisons could have been added. With or without your knowing. Thalliam, botulin." Auron says, ready to continue the list.

"But I had just as much as he did..." Jecht says and watches Sephiroth hold his throat and rub his eyes. "Wouldn't I be rollin' around too?"

"Sephiroth, what are your symptoms?" Auron asks, kneeling next to him, Jecht watching over his shoulder.

"I'm fine." He mutters, voice a bit scratchy and deeper then normal. "Why would you willingly drink such a revolting beverage Jecht?" Sephiroth asks, Jecht thorougly confused at this point.

"You don't feel a thing?" Jecht asks, staring at the silver haired man incredulously. "Seriously? You drank almost twice as much as me, and i'm already buzzed!"

"I thought you said you drank as much as him." Auron says and gives Jecht a stern look. "Had you lied?"

"Why does it matter?!" Jecht yells, throwing up his hands. "I mean, come on! The guy almost dies from some whiskey, but he didn't even like...feel anything! I mean, come on! Is he light weight or can he handle his booze even better then me?! We gotta do a drinking contest sometime!"

"I don't think that would be...wise." Sephiroth says, voice nearly back to normal. "Based on what just happened, it would not turn out well."

"You just gotta drink it in smaller gulps, ya idiot." Jecht says, rolling his eyes. "Jeez, if I drank that much, i'd be messed up too!"

"Ugh." Sephiroth groans and massages his throat softly, resting his head on the guard to the stairs.

Braska was praying softly in the chamber, his usual prayer, praying for his daughters safety before praying for the assistance with his journey, and then praying for the safety of his guardians, one of the most tedious parts, what with how many he's hauling around with him. After the summoner was done praying, the aeon would either appear promptly, or not show up at all, which would be signal for the summoner to leave the chamber.

"And please, keep the people of Spira within your protection, safe from harm and safe from Sin." He finishes, making the sign of prayer, moving his hand fluidly, swift with years upon years of practice.

A small crackle fills the room as a man appears in front of him, bearing the same voice as the one singing in the temple being born within his throat. "Braska." The man says with a nod, dark brown hair, a long beard upon a broad chest, and dressed in cryptic clothing.

"Ixion." Braska says, relief evident in his voice. Just the man showing up was an incredibly good sign.

"Aye. I see you have made the step to further your journey." Ixion answers, a slight smile upon his lips. "I will lend you my aid summoner. My aid to you, and your guardians."

"Do...do you know anything about them? Jecht and...and Sephiroth?" Braska asks hesitantly. Usually by now, he would be too exhausted to ask anything more and just accept their aid.

"I do, yes." Ixion answers with a nod. "And I will share some of what I know. They are who they say they are. Jecht remains with all of his memories from before. Sephiroth has lost all that he was. Both of them have a crucial future in this world though. A role that cannot be ignored. But nor can it be revealed."

"Are they truly trustworthy then?" Braska asks, looking at Ixion with tired eyes and yet remaining standing.

"What do you believe Summoner?" Ixion asks, but disappears before Braska responds.

"I believe in them." Braska smiles, leaving the room with a new found peace he didn't know he had missed.

"What the..." Braska mutters, watching the scene in front of him unfold in utter shock. Auron and Jecht had locked themselves in a mortal staring contest, and Sephiroth was lying on the stairs in a very uncomfortable looking position, simply staring at the roof with a look of apt curiosity. "What are you two doing?"

"Ah, milord." Auron answers and breaks his gaze from Jecht who watches Braska as well. "You seem to be much better this time around."

"Yes, Ixion was much more civil then the others. I seem to have gotten used to this routine." Braska says, able to hold his staff without relying on it to hold him up.

"Good man, so we got this Pixion thing on our side now?" Jecht asks and walks over to the feet of the stairs.

"Ixion." Braska corrects when he reaches the bottom, almost stepping on some of Sephiroths hair. "What happened to him?"

"Ah, he drank too much whiskey. Wierd thing really, it had a delayed effect on him and all. And now he's completely messed up." Jecht chuckles, watching Sephiroths teal eyes look over to him, cheeks slightly flushed and a half hearted glare on his face. This was probably the most off guard they had seen him yet. "Come on, get up Silver." He says and helps Sephiroth up by his one arm.

"You...managed to convince him to drink?" Braska asks and stares at Sephiroth whos nearly falling over, head down and hair waving with each of Jechts movements.

"He did not inform him of what was in the flask until after he had downed it. He...did not react well." Auron says, glaring once more at Jecht who snorts as they walk out of the room.

"What?" Braska asks, thoroughly confused at the situation the guardians had been dealing with when he was gone.

"Meaning he totally freaked out!" Jecht says, the priests in the room they had entered looking at him strangely. "He just kinda fell and started crying and holdin his throat."

"I wasn cryin." Sephiroth mutters under Jechts shoulder, words slightly slurred, the rest of them looking at the normally so elegant man. "My eyes wer jus waterin."

Jecht snickers and ruffles Sephiroths hair, the silver haired man flailing his arms feebly. "Come on then. We should get lil' Silver somewhere to sleep."

"What?" Braska asks and follows Jecht who's almost jogging out of the temple. "How long was I in there?!"

With a morbid groan, Sephiroth rises to a sitting position, hand on his forehead and eyes squinting against the light that seems much harsher today then when he awoke yesterday. "What did you give me Jecht?" Sephiroth asks, Jecht looking over from where he had been behind Sephiroth being as silent as Jecht can be.

"Uh, it was just some booze. Nothin poisonous, I swear." Jecht says, hands up as Sephiroth looks over his shoulder at Brask and Jecht sitting at a table. "Besides, you're fun hammered."

"It'll not happen again, I assure you." Sephiroth says and stands, walking over to the others, softly scoffing when he realized that he only had his undergarments on at the moment. "Where is my clothing?"

"The string on the roof." Braska says, pointing to the roof where Sephiroths black leather clothing was hanging above the fire. "We had to put it there to dry."

Sephiroth rolls his eyes and decides not to ask for an explanation, instead opting to just get his clothing off of the roof, dressing promptly and looking out the window at the slowly lighting up guado city. "When do we make for the next temple?"

"We were going to leave when you woke up." Braska says with a smile. "You're actually up sooner then we thought. We had sent Auron to stock up on supplies."

"Supplies?" Sephiroth asks, fuzzy brain not remembering what they had needed to stock up on.

"Yeah, we needed some potions, pheonix downs, and I think they said something about remedies." Jecht says to him as he scratches his head with a shrug.

"Actually, those cost too much for us." Auron says as he enters the room with a small bundle in his arms. "We can just afford antidotes."

"Ah, too bad I don't have my bank account here. I could afford a lifetime of mega pheonixs with one months paycheck!" Jecht says, arms behind his head, grabbing the small bag that held his few belongings and the large sword he was slowly getting better at using.

"Sure." Auron says, sarcasm lacing his voice as he and the rest of the team gather their belongings as well.

Braska chuckles at the groups antics, opening the door to the cool and moist air of the city of Guadosalom. The guardians follow him, Jecht nearly bouncing in excitement, Auron following with less excitement, and Sephiroth finally coming out with a wince, shaking his head.

"Heheh. Don't worry. The worst will abate in a few hours." Braska says and pats his still bare shoulder, briefly thinking that they should fix his sleeve eventually.

The group still admired the walls and brilliant blue coloration of Guadosalom as they left, watching the walls change color with the lights reflecting off of the surfaces, Jecht chuckling at the large hole still in the wall where the blitzball had broken through, some guado looking at it in confusion.

The guado didn't seem to like them any more then when they had first arrived in the city...well, the inn owner certainly liked them, given how many nights they had stayed there. It was only when they came upon the opening that they ran into one that spoke to them, a small boy with blue hair, dressed in regal clothing.

"Oh hey, Seymour right?" Jecht asks kneeling by the boy who had hands behind his back, holding something out of the groups view. "What're ya doin here, here to see us off?" He asks with a wide smile on his face, Sephiroth walking up behind him, nodding in greeting to the boy in front of them.

"Yeah." He says, looking to the ground and contemplating how to do this without making a scene.

"Huh?" Jecht asks, standing back up and looking at the boy with a confused look. "You got something to say, or did you just come to stare at Silvers hair?" He asks, tugging on a strand of Sephiroths hair, Sephiroth swatting his hand away with annoyance.

"No...just..." He mutters, switching around on his feet. This had seemed so much more easy before he had thought it all out. Usually he wouldn't ever hesitate when talking to one of the people, but these people still didn't know who he was, and he wasn't sure how to react to being treated like a real human. "H-here!" He says and thrusts forward the heavy arm guard that had been weighing down his weary arms for what seemed like hours now.

"What?" Jecht asks, gently taking the cast iron one from the childs grasp, being so much more gentle then any of them had seen him yet. Of course, Auron and Braska knew he was Prince Seymour. But they didn't think of telling the other guardians.

"For you." Seymour says to the two, holding the lighter and sleeker silver one out to Sephiroth, who takes it just as gently from the boy, Seymour ignoring the strange feeling that Sephiroths hands left on his palms where their skin had brushed. "I just..." He says, unable to find more words.

Jecht smiles, finding the kind adorable, reminding him of his own son. He pats Seymours shoulder, giving him the best look of gratitude he can. "Thanks kid."

Sephiroth watches the touching moment, finding a soft feeling of gratitude in his chest, a slight tightness that was uncomfortable, and yet made him happy. He ruffles the light blue hair and nods once more, making sure that he conveys the emotion with his eyes because he didn't think he could speak if he tried. He just was very...touched by this innocent mind.

"We'll bring ya somethin back from the next temple, kay?" Jecht asks, hooking the guard eagerly onto his left arm, admiring the chain that hooks the spiked guard around his arm. Sephiroth did the same, putting on the manica like armour that was versatile and was much lighter, the guard having a few plates overlapping as an armour.

"We will meet again." Sephiroth says, patting the boys head once more as they walk by, Seymour watching them with admiration as Braska and Auron walk by him, Braska stopping for a moment.

"It was good to see you again Prince Seymour." He says with a smile before walking on, waving at Seymour who raises a hand in salutation and goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, yes Thallium and botalin are real poisons. But if you do kill someone, don't credit me for having told you about them...please. And secondly, Sephiroth reacted that way to the alcohol because of his mako enhancements. Cause liqour does burn a bit, and I figure since his senses are enhanced as well. Jechts guard is just his one from Dissidia, and Sephiroths is just his shoulder guards from Dissidia with a manica attached. Don't know what a manica is?
> 
> Basically it's overlapping small plates going down along the length of the arm. I'm gonna say that his has a chain to keep it there too. Usually they're very heavy, so a light one is very impressive.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed, and I hope that the story is going well. :D
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> This is all I had written, I try to update at least once a month.


	7. The Split

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally make it to the moonflow, and that's when tragedy strikes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Wow, so this is taking a while. So sorry bout that :P. I got a little distracted with other stuff going on. Me and a few friends made a Dugeons and Dragons group, it's pretty interesting. I started researching mental stuff too, Sanitariums, Murderers. Good thing is that it may help me write Sephiroth a bit. He's kinda crazy. Anyway, i'll stop blabbing.

Chapter Seven: The Split.

*F*I*N*A*L*F*A*N*T*A*S*Y*

The trip along the path was mostly uneventful, the usual that happened when they went along the roads that crisscrossed Spira. Auron and Braska walked in the front because they had been down all of these paths before, Sephiroth and Jecht stayed slightly further back, Jecht telling the man next to him raudy stories about his childhood.

Jecht had paused for a moment, drawing out the silver flask once more, Sephiroth glaring at the metal with as much hatred as he could muster for an inanimate object. "Jeez, calm down Silver." Jecht says and shoves him playfully. "You just took it too quickly."

Sephiroth scoffs, shoving Jecht back, not bothering to look when Jecht tips over into a ditch. "Ow man!" Jecht yells, sitting up in the ditch, holding the back of his head. "Watch where you're tossin' people, jeez, whys a scrawny guy like you so strong anyway?"

"I don't really think he would classify as scrawny Jecht." Braska says, him and Auron having stopped when Jecht yelled.

"Well you certainly would." Jecht says with a smile on his face. "Wait, or would you? What do ya even look like under your 50 layers?"

Auron sighs again, ignoring the tanner man and continuing down the path as Braska assures him that he's just a normal person. Sephiroth shrugs and follows Auron more closely then the other two, attempting to keep at least five feet between him and Jecht. Or, more specifically, the flask still tightly gripped in his hand.

To be honest, Auron didn't really mind so much, since Sephiroth was much more bearable then Jecht was in his mind. "Really milord, you shouldn't encourage this kind of ridiculous behaviour." He says to the summoner who was chuckling kind heartedly at Jecht's silly comments.

"It's not as if he is doing any harm Auron." Braska says, smile still on his face. Honestly, that smile never seemed to leave his face. "Perhaps you should not be so hard on them, they do not quite understand this world."

"They could be lying." Auron says, glancing at Jecht, then Sephiroth before looking back to Braska. "They have no proof that they were really attacked by Sin."

 

"Look, I wasn't attacked by this 'Sin'." Jecht snarls angrily. "Maybe thats what happened to Rapunzel over there, but I came from Zanarkand! I was just training out in the ocean, and then I woke up outside Bevelle!"

 

"Rapunzel?" Sephiroth mutters to himself, wondering what had happened to the other nickname. At least that one wasn't a woman's name.

 

"Don't worry." Braska says to them and motions for them to keep moving forward, Jecht taking a large gulp from his flask, Sephiroth grimacing and shying away from him. "I'm sure that this will all work out in the end."

 

By the time they reached the northern most side of the moonflow, Jecht was completely innebriated, cheeks flushed, eyes glossy and constantly trying to flirt with Sephiroth and grope his chest. Nothing too strange had happened during their three hour journey. Nothing more eventful then the occasional fiend appearing on the path which was quickly dispatched by the guardians, there were never enough to prompt Brask into using any spells.

 

It was only when they were attacked outside of the sort of port for the shoopufs that Braska had to enter the fray. There were three of them this time. Sephiroth immediatly took the flying one. His sword was long enough that even when the fiend dodged above his first attack, he could quickly follow up with another, not even having to reach to far up.

 

Auron, of course, took the one with the hard plated armour, since he was the one with the heaviest sword besides Jecht's. The only difference was the build of the swords. Aurons was made for more of a single crushing blow then Jecht's, which was meant to follow up after breaking through the enemies defenses. Braska started chanting an ice spell immediatly, aiming for the last fiend, a small nearly glowing mass of blue liquid that somehow was able to support itself against gravity.

 

They were too caught up in the flow of battle, that none of them noticed when Jecht ran off past them, yelling a warcry and launching himself at the large shoopuf that was standing by the gate. He slammed his large blade onto the blue creatures shoulder, clawing at it with his left hand, the gauntlet tearing into it's body, strange maroon blood flowing as it thrashed and attempted to throw off it's attacker.

 

"Jecht!" Braska yells as he and the other two guardians run to the shoopuf, but Jecht seems to just shrug off what they say, attempting to force his sword deeper into the shoopuf.

 

"Milord, we need to do something!" Auron yells as Jecht attempts to hold onto the shoopuf as it rears, the owner of the stables running over and babbling in a heavily accented voice.

 

Braska panics for a moment, racking his brain for any way to get his bulky guardian to let go of the shoopuf. He raises his staff, quickly yelling into the air, staring at Jecht and casting a heavy sleeping spell.

 

Immediatly the shoopuf manages to fling Jecht off, Sephiroth stepping out of the way as Jecht hits the tree behind him with a hard thud. Auron sighs in exasperation as Braska attemots to heal the scared shoopuf.

"Who wash dat?!" The owner yells angrily at Auron and Sephiroth.

 

"An imbecile." Auron snarls, glaring at Jecht, who had since slumped to the ground against the tree. "No need to worry Sir. He will be taken care of. It'll not happen again."

 

"What am I shupposhed to do huh?!" The owner continues, though doesn't seem so much angry at Auron anymore. "I cant ferry any cushtomersh until the shoopuf calmsh down!"

 

"It'll all be okay Sir." Braska says as he walks over. "I've managed to heal the shoopuf. It should be ready to travel in a few hours. I'm sure your customers will understand."

 

The owner grumbles a bit, but leaves anyway, returning to the shoopuf, patting it's now scarred shoulder softly. Sephiroth looks over to Jecht with a disapproving look on his face. "Idiot." He mutters, picking up the flask that had fallen from Jechts pocket. "I will berid us of this...things presence immediatly." He snarls and walks off, ignoring the other two men behind him.

 

Auron sighs and turns to Braska. "When do you think he'll awaken?" He asks and motions to Jecht.

 

"Well, the spell should have dispelled any trace of the alcohol from his system. But I still cannot be sure. He may have been injured when he hit the tree." Braska says and moves closer to Jecht before Auron plants a hand on his shoulder firmly.

 

"Don't heal him." Auron says, voice clearly annoyed. "He needs to learn to pay for his mistakes."

 

* * *

 

Sephiroth wasn't sure how he would berid himself of the flask. Yes, he had a few very evil ideas floating around in his mind, but he didn't have the materials or the strength to commit any of them. He briefly considered filling it with oil and throwing it into the fire that the passengers who had to wait for their ride had lit, but discarded the idea almost immediatly. It just didn't seem a fitting punishment for something that had caused him such discomfort.

 

_"-A materia. It brings out the inner power and uses it in order to cast spells."_

  _"W_ _hy are we unable to do so on our own? If we have the power to do so, then why are we unable to cast them?"_

_"The spells have been forgotten through the ages. We were able to imbue them into a sort of buffer, or the stone. The magic coding within them is what makes them glow, without the coding, they are nothing more then an empty husk."_

Sephiroth blinks, reaching a hand into his pocket and gazing into the smoky red mass that resides within the stone he had grabbed. "Firaga..." He mutters blankly before jerking up as a strong burst of flame rises around the stone in his hand, not managing to hurt him in any way other then the discomfort brought on by the intense heat.

 

With a strangely familiar smirk on his face, he reaches out to the flask he had set on a withered tree trunk, the flames rising around only the small hollow metal, not setting the trunk ablaze despite coming in contact with almost the entire area of it.

 

* * *

 

Jecht awoke an hour later to a huge headache and Auron glaring at him from behind his recording sphere. "Jecht, I cannot believe you attacked that shoopuf! They'll likely not even allow us to cross the moonflow. It's a full two week trip around it!"

 

"Ugh, would you shut that off?!" Jecht growls out, splaying out onto his back as Sephiroth approaches them.

 

"Ah, Sephiroth." Braska greets him with a slightly forlorn wave. "How did the destruction go?"

 

"Very well Braska." Sephiroth says with a dark smile growing on his face once again. "I have completely incinerated said item with no complications."

 

"What?" Jecht asks, slightly annoyed at having lost his flask, and slightly confused. "That was made out of beryllium, jeez!"

 

"It was your fault anyway." Auron growls out behind the sphere. "At least now it'll not be able to happen again."

 

Jecht groans in exasperation, falling against the ground boredly. "You guys are really making too big of a deal about this!" He mumbles.

 

"Jecht, this expedition is not a joke." Braska says, for the first time seemingly geniunly disappointed in the tan man, and that was what hurt Jecht. "I need for you to start taking this seriously from now on."

 

"Ya know what, fine!" Jecht yells and flings his arms up into the air. "From now on, the only thing I drink is shoopuf milk!"

 

"...That's on camera." Auron says, turning off the sphere and replacing it in Jechts bag.

 

"By the way." Braska says, turning to Sephiroth. "How exactly did you destroy the flask?"

 

"This." Sephiroth says, handing Braska the small red gem. "I believe it's called a materia."

 

"You got some of your memories back?" Auron asks as Braska investigates the gem.

 

"Nothing relevant. There was just a man explaining them to me when I was a child. I believe he had a beard." Sephiroth says, hand on his chin before he shrugs.

 

"This is amazing." Braska says and holds the gem up slightly, watching the smoky surface seem to move on it's own. "It's almost you have imbued the stone with the spells that mages use. With this, even someone like Jecht could use spells."

 

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Jecht asks, arms crossed, only to have all of them ignore him.

 

"I suppose they could, but you'd have to be able to control the spiritual power still inside you." Sephiroth responds, taking the materia back from Braska and returning it to the posket on his bag that he kept the gems in.

 

"Ah." Braska says and rubs the back of his neck. "Maybe it's not the best idea then."

 

"Hey, seriously man!" Jecht yells, Auron chuckling and shaking his head.

 

* * *

 

It was hardly the break of dawn that Sephiroth woke up. They had gone to the small group of people that had to wait for the shoopuf, and had gone promptly to bed after Jecht awkwardly apologized. The rest of the people were asleep around him.

 

Sephiroth got up, and silently walked to the edge of the cliff, watching with horror in his eyes. He had felt a presence when he awoke, something evil and smothering. Something that made him tremble and something that was keeping his nerves frayed. But at the horizen, the sea was rising, a terrible form forcing itself up through the soft waves and forcing the area to be smothered in a terrifying darkness that was entirely spiritual, the sun rising behind the huge dark figure.

 

As Sin rises from the sea with a roar, the rest of the people jerk awake, immediatly yelling in terror, the site of Sin was enough to force them awake from their slumber. "What's that thing?!" Jecht yells as the people run by the summoner and his guardians.

 

"Sin!" Braska yells back, running to Sephiroth who looks back, immediatly running to his bag, grabbing his long sword and several of the materia from his pocket.

 

"We need to distract it from the civilians!" Auron yells and runs to the cliff, hesitating at the edge as Sin launches dozens of his scales at the guardians.

 

"I'll go underwater!" Jecht yells, having grabbed his sword. He jumps from the cliff, falling fluidly into the water and swimming with practiced strokes that hadn't faded from his mind in the last few weeks.

 

Braska nods, despite knowing that Jecht couldn't possibly see him. With a determined look, he holds his staff close to his body and slowly begins chanting the summoning for Bahamut.

 

Sephiroth watches Sin with rapt attention, Sin's small red eyes looking directly into Sephiroths scion, and almost smirking. Sin roars, Sephiroth stumbling as Sin attempts to draw him in, small wisps of wind forming around Sephiroth as his hair flails around him.

 

Sephiroth digs into his pocket, bringing out the small red stone, holding his palm out to Sin, launching a powerful spell at Sin, the wind carrying the flame with it as it returns to Sin.

 

* * *

 

Auron watches as the fire wreaths to Sin, the demon letting go of the wind as soon as the fire singes his skin. He almost immediatly turns his attention back to the sinspawn in front of him. Luckily all of them were small, nothing larger then the scales Sin had thrown at them in the beginning. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold them off on his own forever, but he only had to until Braska could summon Bahamut.

 

* * *

 

Jecht was wreathing under water, dodging past pieces of debris and slashing at the sinspawn that Sin had let off into the water. He was able to hold his breath for very long periods of time. It was something that every blitzballer had to learn before they started a career. Through his long time as a champoin, his top time was 68 minutes. It was an extra long game, and many of the players were taken out because they had to leave the sphere to breath. He was one of the last two, and basically it turned into a breathing competition.

 

Next to him, a familiar silver haired man launched himself into the water, long sword gripped tightly and slashing at the sinspawn in front of them. As soon as the three were killed, Sephiroth pointed up and motioned with his head.

 

They burst through the water, Sephiroth's head slightly tipped back, his hair soaked completely. "Braska is calling upon Bahamut. Once called, he will defeat the sinspawn and begin to charge megaflare. We have 15 minutes, no more. They cannot see us out here."

 

"Damn man, why can't we just get out now?" Jecht asks, kicking a sinspawn away from them.

 

"We need to distract Sin so that it focuses on us and not Bahamut." Sephiroth says, casting a quick blizzaga at the sin Jecht had kicked. "If we lose Bahamut, we may well lose our lives."

 

"Dammit." Jecht mutters and turns to Sin. "Might as well aim for the source huh?"

 

Sephiroth smirks, and nods, him and Jecht launching through the water at the huge monstrosity.

 

* * *

 

Braska could feel the immense rush of power as he summons Bahamut, the sigil beneath his feet glowing a harsh purple, the dragon lord launching down from the sky and roaring as he lands in front of Braska, nodding at the summoner solemnly before launching himself at the sinspawn in front of them, Braska panting softly and leaning against his staff.

 

"Milord." Auron says, handing Braska an ether. The guardian seemed mostly unharmed, only having a cut along his leg.

 

"Ah, thank you Auron." Braska says, downing the ether quickly with a shudder, watching as Bahamut takes out the sinspawn with ease, able to disperse dozens of them with a single sweep of his massive claw.

 

It wasn't long before the sinspawn on land were defeated. Braska nods, turning to Auron who repeats the gesture. "Bahamut, smite it with your holy flame!" He yells, Bahamut snarling and crouching down, mouth open as a glowing orb slowly forms in his maw.

 

* * *

 

Jecht and Sephiroth could easily see Bahamut crouching down and readying his flame. "Looks like it's time to bounce Silver!" Jecht yells to where Sephiroth was holding onto Sin's fin by his sword and clawed gauntlet. Sephiroth nods and launches off just as Jecht jumps off of Sin's shoulder, making it a few meters ahead of Sephiroth.

 

"You must make haste!" Braska yells to them. Bahamut was unable to keep the megaflare under control for very long after it built up to fruition. It was simply too much energy, and much too powerful.

 

* * *

 

Jecht swims as fast as he can, nearing the shore in almost record time. But Sephiroth was held back. His long hair weighed so much more under the water, and a long leather coat was not ideal swimwear. "C'mon Silver!" Jecht yells, panic evident in his voice as he stands next to Auron and Braska, both watching in horror as Bahamut's muscles begin to tremble under the force of holding back the megaflare.

 

* * *

 

Sephiroth looks up with wide eyes as the flare finally launches, a huge beam of light shooting forward to him. Immediatly he ducks under the water, hoping it would at least weaken the blow. But even with the liquid around him, it does nothing as he blacks out immediatly after being hit.

 

* * *

 

"NO!" Braska yells, watching his guardian disappear beneath the waves, Sin roaring and retreating to the depths as well.

 

His two guardians watch on both of his sides with shock as the silver haired man doesn't rise from any part of the water. "Shit." Jecht mutters, clenching his head with his hand and gritting his teeth so hard the bones of his jaw hurt.

 

Auron simply watches, eyes wide and body limp. Yes, he didn't trust him too much, but he had no reason to want the silver haired man dead, or even injured. He had even started to like the smart comments and the strange talent he had with battle.

 

Braska finally looks up from the ground as the people from the port gather around them. "We have to go look for him." He says, and none of the people have any complaints.

 

* * *

 

_"Did you hear? They let an eight year old into SOLDIER."_

* * *

 

_"The kids a damned monster. They just put him here because they have no where else to lock him up."_

* * *

 

_"You cause nothing But trouble you stupid child! Why would anyone let you into SOLDIER anyway?! You're nothing, you're just a lifeless weapon!"_

* * *

 

_"Sephiroth! How does it feel to be the youngest person ever to reach 1st class?!" Person? Yeah right._

* * *

 

_"Hey Sephiroth! What do you think you're doing here? These rooms are for people who actually had to WORK to get where they are!"_

* * *

 

_"Reached 1st class when he was only 15, he's the cities greatest asset, and we hope that he continues to work for us for years to come." Work? For you? I never agreed to that._

* * *

 

_"Hey Sephiroth, guess what I got! A special edition of Loveless, it includes notes from the author and illustrations!"_

 

 

_"Hah. You and your fascination with that poem."_

* * *

 

_"This sword is a sign of honour, integrity, and pride. Using it brings about wear, tear, and rust."_

* * *

 

_"C'mon, you've gotta have something to teach me! You're a hero for gods sake!"_

* * *

 

_"Did you hear i've got a new student? Heh. The kids just like a puppy."_

* * *

 

_"Ah yes, it's you. The Puppy."_

 

_"What?! Did Angeal introduce me to you as that?!"_

* * *

 

_"Sephiroth, i'm afraid Angeal has been killed." Numbness..._

* * *

 

"Angeal..." Sephiroth whispers, eyes slowly opening to a bright sun setting, painting the desert area a brilliant red.

 

"Hey, you okay Sir?" A soft voice asks, Sephiroth turning his head to see a small child next to him, a small girl with blonde pigtails and strange green eyes with black swirls within them. The girl gasps and covers her mouth, eyes wide in horror. "D-don't worry! I'll go get my Dad!"

 

Cid lets out a soft whistle, looking down at the silver haired man in front of him, a long cut going down his side and five punctures down his abdomen, huge burn marks covering half of his body, somehow none had gone further then his neck. "Goddamn." He mutters and kneels down, glancing over to a black feather next to the man, picking it up and looking at it curiously.

 

"We should get him back to the ship huh?" Brother says behind him, the small teen looking at the man with wide eyes.

 

"Yeah." Cid says, tucking the feather into his waistband and lifting up the mans upper body, the man letting out a pained grunt, opening his eyes to look at Cid, his cat like pupils narrowing against the hard burst of light. "Damn, you're awake." Cid mutters while he puts an arm around Sephiroths shoulders. "You think you can walk?"

 

Sephiroth nods, moving his legs clumsily as Cid helps him rise. Sephiroth looks over to the blonde girl. "Hey, i'm Rikku, what's your name?" She asks as they begin to walk to a rudimentary ship they had been testing out.

 

"Sephiroth." Sephiroth says wheezily, Cid not daring to remove his arm from the mans shoulder should he fall over.

 

"Quiet now." Cid says to Rikku fondly. "You'll have plenty of time to bug him later. For now focus on walking." He says to Sephiroth, who nods tiredly.

 

Sephiroth had hardly made it ten meters before his head started to droop, his feet dragging and blood falling on the sand beneath him.

 

"Ugh." Cid groans and attempt to hold him up. "C'mere Brother. Help me carry him."

 

Sephiroth stayed silent for the entire time that Brother and Cid carried him. He was back in his dreams by the time the two carefully laid him on the ground.

 

"Who do you think he is?" Brother asks Cid softly, making sure not to speak too loudly should he wake up the man. He would obviously be in pain.

 

"No idea." Cid sighs, running his hand over his head. "Can't just let him die though. C'mon then Brother. Gonna need your help with the ship."

 

"Aye aye Sir!" Brother yells excitedly and runs over to his chair on the ship, clicking the correct buttons just like his father had taught him to, smiling when Rikku sat near the man and started cleaning his strangely long hair of the blood that had gotten dried and cracked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Sorry bout the palladium thing. Forgot it's poisonous. Changed it to beryllium. 1278.0 °C is the melting point. This chapters beginning got deleted...twice. I made banana cookies! Btw, what do you guys think of the huge fight scene? Good? Haven't written about a fight this big before.


	8. The Sanuvia Desert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> Oh god, soooo sorry. I forgot that you get Ixion at Djose. Let's say that they made the trip to Djose and returned briefly to Guadosalom. I know that it doesn't seem like something they'd do, but I can't very well change it now. I mean, I can, but...eh, too much work.

Chapter 8: The One-Winged Angel.  
      
*F*I*N*A*L*F*A*N*T*A*S*Y*      
  


    Auron was wandering down the beach. He, Jecht, and Braska were frantically searching for the last member of their group. They knew that there were no tales of any being other then Behemoths and Sin living from the force of a megaflare. But if they left without looking for the man, none of them would be able to forgive themselves. Even if there were the slimest chance that the silver haired man was alive.

    The air was silent and heavy as they went along the beach, the rough sand digging into their feet and the blood from the battle still leaving faint stains along the pristine water's edge. Even Jecht kept his head down and his mouth shut. He wasn't the most experienced with emotions, and he hadn't ever been so close to deaths before. He had been to funerals before and had given speeches at them. 

    Nothing was right in this picture. They had grown used to having a group that could easily outshine that of a normal summoner's, and they had grown used to the smart comments and cold realism of their traveling companion. Nothing was right here, walking down the beach with hands clenched, eyes scanning the horizan for their missing teamate. The civilians had long since returned to their half circle around a bonfire, watching the morose team search.

    They would call his name, they would listen for any answer to their calls, only to fall silent. The air weighed upon their shoulders, suffocating them, leaving them watching with wide eyes. It seemed hopeless. But they could not stop. None of them were satisfied with the results. 

    The moonflow reflected the light. It grew redder and redder by the minute, shining in the sunset like the blood that remained glistening on the sands of the once beautiful body of water that now carried the memories of all whom had lost anything today. Of the civilians taken by the sinspawn. Of the people who they had been unable to save. Of the lost guardian that was surely lurking somewhere deep in the inky depths. 

    The moonflow grew dark as it reflected the moon that rose silently from the sky. All stilled, it seemed, when the guardians stopped. Braska turned to his companions, face grim and eyes still dark with regret. He had fully expected there to be grief at the end of this journey. He just never imagined that it would be his own. He was prepared to give his life to save the people of Spira, but he never wanted for someone else's life to end along the way. He wasn't prepared for his own mental anguish. "We must move on." He whispers to the men in front of him.

    The silence was overbearing, as the guardians looked up at whom they had sworn to protect. For once, even Jecht managed to look grim and focused. "He's alive." Jecht says, voice low and gravelly, brown eyes dark and narrow, form hunched and clenched. "I know he is. Silver wouldn't settle for anything defeating him."

    "Jecht." Auron says, looking over to him with such a varying look of expression. He was obviously not meaning to allow any emotion out, and he was doing a good job at it. The only indicator was his eyes. He didn't look like he truly believed any of this. "Even if he did survive...he would not have made it to shore without a miracle. We must continue for the good of Spira. If he survived...then we must hope we will meet him again."

    Again, silence was the only answer that they got. It had happened too many times that day. Jecht turned, watching the sea lap at the rocks, the sand, and the occasional indicator of the battle that had taken place. He didn't move. Braska and  Auron shared a brief glance before leaving to join the civilians waiting for them. For any news they may have had.

    It was almost an hour before Jecht moved, looking up from the sand, brow furrowed and keeping a keen eye out for anything that may move. "SEPHIROTH!" He yells, his voice cutting clearly across the otherwise silent land, echoing from the cliffside behind him. "I KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T DIE YOU HEAR! YOU BETTER DRAG YOUR ASS BACK HERE BEFORE I REALLY START TO GET ANGRY!"

* * *

 

    Sephiroth woke with a start, finding a small boy with the beginnings of a tiny blonde mohawk on his head. The boy shrieked, scared by the man who he thought would be out for a few more hours at the least. He was just planning to draw some stuff on his face! And maybe call Rikku in to have some 'fun' with his hair.

    "Um..." Brother says, twiddling his hands and making sure to discreetly toss the blue marker under the desk. "Hi there. Dad said to show you around when you woke up so...um..." He continues, unnerved by the man's slitted eyes watching him so intently. "You know...if you can walk."

    Sephiroth shakes off the last bit of his dream. He could have sworn that someone was yelling at him. He looks over the small boy in front of him, waist hardly above the bed that Sephiroth had been placed on. "Where am I?" He asks, finding it to be the most logical question one could ask in this situation. Although he more demanded it then asked it.

    Brother flinches a bit at the mans tone, but straightens up and attempts to look as menacing as he can. "You're in the Sanubia Desert." He says and watches the man sit up, brushing a bang back where it belongs. 

    "Would you happen to know how I got here?" Sephiroth asks as he swings his legs over the edge of his bed, stretching his arms in a military like fashion. 

    "Hyf." Brother responds before reminding himself to speak the man's tounge. He hadn't quite mastered the language yet, and sometimes drifted back to his native tounge. "We just found ya on the shore of the Island. No idea how ya washed up here. An...cunno." He mutters at the mans look of disdain.

    "Who was it that found me?" Sephiroth asks, standing up with only a small stumble and a wince at the pain that flares in his left side...nearly the entire side of his body. 

    "Well, actually, Rikku was the first one ta see ya." Brother responds as he watches the man eye his misshapen and partially melted sword unhappily. "Sorry bout that. We found it with ya. But we couldn't find a way to fix it. Too mangled, oayr?"

    "It is fine." Sephiroth responds, but smiles softly as he fastens the unharmed arm guard back to his right arm, studying the rest of his possetions that they had kindly put in the room for him, counting the materia and shrugging back on his mostly destroyed coat. "I suppose a thank you is in order."

    "Naw, it's good." Brother says with a smile. At least the man didn't seem to want to hurt him. "I really didn't even do much. You should be thankin' Dad n' Rikku. I'm you'll be seein them again."

    "I can't stay." Sephiroth sighs, noting that his bag and all of his healing items had been lost, as well as and gil he might have had. "I must find my companions."

    "Your companions huh?" Brother asks curiously. "But ain't ya still kind a wounded? Like really bad?"

    Sephiroth glances down at Brother, watching him scratch his head nervously. "What is your name boy?" Sephiroth asks, kneeling next to him with his head cocked, an almost genuine curiosity at the boy in front of him. 

    "Brother." The kid responds, smiling at the man in front of him in a sort of innocent way only a child can. "Whas' yours?"

    "Sephiroth." The man responds to the small boy as he finally gathers up the rest of his possesions, able to carry all of them on his person. 

* * *

 

    "Mishtersh, we musht leave shoon if you want to make it to zhe ozher shide of zhe moonflow before nightfall." The owner says to the three men loitering near the cliff, Jecht swinging his feet softly over the cliff that borders the moonflow.

    "Thank you." Braska says and turns to the owner, his face still creased in worry. "But before we go, I must perform the sending. It...it won't take long. Please, just wait a little while longer." 

    "...Very well." The owner says softly and walks back to the patrons, explaining the holdup once more to the irate passengers.

    Braska had had to perform the sending before. It was always a dangerous time when summoners had to travel the land for the aeons. He had attempted the journey once before, and had given up when he met his wife, opting to have a family and quit his journey. But when Sin had claimed his beloved, he had decided to return, hoping not only to save Spira from years of pain and suffering, but to also get revenge.

    This was the first time though, in this journey, that he had had to perform the sending. Whenever a summoner performed a sending, they could feel all of the souls pain and resentment. They had to soothe them with their actions, with nothing more then the trust that a summoner would know what is best, and that they should leave the mortal plane.

    So Braska walked down the cliff, carefully placing his feet. Jecht watched in confusion, and a slight bit of curiosity, while Auron watched with a morbid sense of acceptance. Braska took a deep breath and brought his staff to his chest, closing his eyes and allowing the lost souls to connect with him.

* * *

 

    "Rao, Brother, frana yna oui kuehk? Oui fanah'd kuehk du mayja sa uid, fana oui?" Rikku yells down the hall, chasing after Brother and the strange man they had found just two days ago on the shore. "Oh. Hello there." She says, noticing the tall silver haired man watching her, slightly confused.

    "Oh, hey Rikku." Brother says, making sure to speak the man's tounge so he could understand, that and he and Rikku had taken to speaking to each other like that so they could get used to it. "This is Sephiroth. I was just taking him to see Dad."

    "Really, wow." Rikku says and looks up at Sephiroth with wide eyes. "How are you awake though? The healers said it'd be at least five more days!"

    Sephiroth shakes his head calmly and continues down the hallway, following the two al bhed. "No. I need to find Braska." He says to the children, more talking to himself. 

    "Wait, Braska?" Cid asks, having walked out of a door when Sephiroth was talking. "You been traveling with Braska?"

    "Yes, but not for much longer then three months." Sephiroth informs Cid curtly. "Do you know him?" He asks Cid.

    "I'm his brother in law. Cid." He hums and holds out his hand to the silver haired man. They shake their hands firmly, both noting the signs of work and labour on their limbs. "Is he attempting the pilgrimage again?"

    Sephiroth nods, not minding the fact that Braska had attempted the journey before.It meant nothing to him. "So you will understand that I must find him as soon as possible." He did trust Auron to keep Braska safe, but he wasn't sure if he would with Jecht there. He just seemed to get on the mans nerves.

    "Yeah." Cid says and runs a hand over his head. "Look, I can't take you down there. We don't have the time, or the men. And you're too injured to go throught he desert. I'm sorry, but you'll have to just stay here until the medics deem you well enough to travel.

    Sephiroth nods calmly, not betraying the anger he felt, thanking Cid and heading back to his room. He was sure that he could use some more rest. While he was sure that he would live, that did nothing to alleviate the pain from his injuries. It was nothing terrible, he was able to stand and walk, but there was the distinct pain of the fabric of his torn coat against his burns and lacerations.

    "Hey, Seph!" Rikku yells and runs after the man happily as Brother goes with Cid. "You want me to show you around? You need a new coat anyway, right?"

    Sephiroth glances down, his coat was torn and ripped, with some parts curled and. melted innstrange patterns. "I...suppose I do." He says, looking back at Rikku. "Would I have enough to pay for it though?"

    "I can pay for it!" Rikku says, taking Sephiroth's hand happily and trotting down the hallway, Sephiroth leaning down so she can drag him along. "They always give me discounts on stuff! Don't worry, they measure you and everything in the shop."

    "How long is this going to take?" Sephiroth asks as he catches a glimpse of a huge map that details the city they were walking through.

* * *

 

    Aboard the shoopuf, the three travelers were watching the moonflow morbidly, watching keenly for any signs of their lost guardian. The patrons beside them were watching the travelers, worried about what would happen should they quit their journey, and upset that this had to happen. Many of them had lost loved ones because of Sin as well. If not when he attacked the moonflow, then from a time before that. Some sympathied, some thought they were pathetic for grieving so much. But none had wished that this would happen.

    Auron watched the sparkling depths, his brows creased and worry spread across his features. It wasn't that he was looking for Sephiroth. He had accepted that his companion had been taken, and he was simply watching it because he didn't want to look up and see the pity on the peoples faces.

    Jecht was the only one who refused to believe that Sephiroth was dead. He watched every shape that moved along the moonflow with rapt attention, so much more quiet then any of them had ever seen him before. He had definately experienced death before, just never of anyone who was ever close to him. Only his father. And even then, he was a small child. He never let anyone close enough to hurt him. No one but his family. And his family...He looked down with a grimace, finally thinking about the eventuality that he might not make it back to his home.

    What if he never made it back? What if his family was looking for him like he was looking for Sephiroth?

    Would they ever forgive him?

    Would he ever even see them again?

* * *

 

_"MONSTER!"_

    Sephiroth woke again with a gasp and pain. It wasn't too strange. His dreams had once again been filled with strange images of his past. But there was no time to think about it. There was no way he could. His back was flaring and what seemed like his entire spinal cord felt as though it were being heated to a hot poker. 

    He arches his back in an attempt to stop any of it. He gripped the white sheets that had been placed in the medical ward. There was something inside of him. He could feel it there, somewhere within him that echoed within the magical power that he had. there was something that was calling to him.

    And he remembered. He remembered a wing, one that led to his destruction. What destruction, he did not know, but he knew that he was different. That there was something different about him. He remembered his only two friends. They were the only ones who would be with him. The rest...just paparazzi. No one cared about him. He was all alone, just a tool for the publics amusement. Until he met them.

    He woke with a deep breath, attempting to calm himself down. Jet black feathers fell around him and there was a hard stone in his hand. 

    He watched the surface of the stone, wreathing with shadows and smoky energy. An energy so damn dark that his hand clenched up. All of the muscles freezing and slowly flinching as he drops the stone, rolling across the floor, down the room. He ignored it and shook his head, watching the sun rise as he gathered his materials.

    The small girl, Rikku, had indeed gotten him a new coat. Sephiroth had agreed to let her play with his hair if she bought it for him. It was because of her that he now had a ponytail tied, with braids connecting to it, beads and string wreathing through it. He had to admit that the gorl did have talent.

    The coat was similar to what he had had before, only slightly longer. His one before had gone to his knees, but this one nearly touched the floor. The back was split in half with wire mesh behind it. above, on his shoulders, a second layer over rode the sleeves and chest piece, connecting even over the back of the coat. The entire thing was still black, the sleeves loose around his biceps, but tightening around his forearms. 

    He pulled the coat on calmly before opening his window, the two sides opening away from each other. A burst of wind flew through the room as he took the rest of his bags, pausing for a moment to grab the black stone off of the floor, wrapping it in four layers of fabric before placing it in his bag, only the materia and a single potion accompanying it.

    He turned to the window, the black wing on his back moving out, light feathers swaying in the wind as he looked out. He crouched on the sill, his eyes determined as he launched off, the wing keeping his aloft over the sand below him. With a dark nod, he slowly begins on his way to the east where Cid had said the port was.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> Hello, I know this is pretty fast compared to how I usually update, but I had inspiration. Anyway, i'll try to continue like this. And yes, Sephiroth remembered some of his past, but only really his childhood and SOLDIER years. Nothing about Cloud, or Final Fantasy VII.
> 
> Anyways, thank you for reading, and please review. :D
> 
> It's starting to get more exciting!


	9. Upon the Sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
>  I've been trying to write more of this recently. I've been getting pretty excited now that things are starting to heat up. At most, there's going to be about six before we start the transition. Please review, they are my fuel. :D

Chapter 9: Upon the Sea.  
  
*F*I*N*A*L*F*A*N*T*A*S*Y*  
  
      
    The air on his face was so strikingly familiar as Sephiroth soared above the soft dunes of sand and the small rocks that littered the desert. He knew that the port was in the east. He had seen a map on his journey with the others, it had just been a brief glance, but he had seen where this island was, and knew it would be inconvenient for a port to be in the west.   
  
    He had had to land several times, since his back had started to ache after an hour or so, and his wounds would start to sting. Thankfully, they didn't open again, they just hurt. He had finally made it to the port a small bit after noon. There were dozens of people there, shopping at the small stalls and waiting for the next boat to show up.   
  
    It was a bit overwhelming for a man who had just woken up a few days ago. If the burning hot sun had not been too much already. By the time he had finally reached the port, he wasn't sure he would be able to continue on if he tried. At least, he wouldn't be able to fly any more. Already the heat was burning his wounds and reigniting his nerves that had been frayed by Bahamut.  
  
    His wing had immediatly withdrawn when he made it within a few meters of the crowds. He had been wondering if he should try to hide it, since he figured that the people wouldn't be too welcoming of him if he had a wing sprouted from his back. Of course, now he had to deal with the hole in the back of his coat.  
  
    Mostly, the people ignored him. And the ones who didn't simply sent him a glance, likely confused about his hair. Sephiroth decided to just ignore the people who did look at him, instead opting to walk to the desk that had "Tickets" written above it, below it "Delgadc" was written.  
  
    "How much?" Sephiroth asks the man behind the desk coldly, watching him with steel eyes, the man looking up boredly and pointing to the right at a sign with prices on it.   
  
    "1500 gil for one patron." He mutters and returns to nibbling at his nails, attempting to get dirt out of them and reading something on his desk.  
  
    Sephiroth digs into the small bag he had at his side. But brings out an empty hand, taking the bag off of his arm and looking into it curiously. There was no sign of the small square of black fabric that he tied with a string and kept the gil that he had.  
  
    Sephiroth groans and swings his bag back over his arm. He finally understood how Jecht had managed to buy that revolting alcohol. He turns away from the morose man tending the desk without another word.  
  
    No one spared him another glance. Admittedly, he liked it. It felt strange and good to not have anyone staring at him. But he still had to deal with getting to Luca. He doubted that he would be able to fly across it. The sign had said it was a six hour trip, and he wouldn't be able to go that long without landing. If he somehow did, he'd be terribly injured at the end. If not because of his wounds reopening, then because of fiends that he would find along the way.  
  
    There was nothing he could do now. He was left with two obvious solutions. He could attempt to stow away on the ship, but from what he could tell, there weren't many places to hide on there. Or he could steal from someone in order to get the money for the ticket.

* * *

  
  
    "1500 gil?!" Auron yells, eyes wide and staring at the sign and the woman behind the roofed desk. "When did the price raise this much?!"  
  
    "Sorry Sir." The woman says with a nervous smile. "But with Sin attacking the shores and killing off the chocobos, the managers can't afford to keep the price the same."  
  
    "It's fine, don't worry about it." Braska says with a tired smile, digging into his bag to get the gil. Jecht was sitting in the background, slumping against the bench he had basically claimed as all his own.  
  
    He had been more silent and slightly sullen recently. And Braska and Auron had noticed him staring wistfully at an onyx black feather. He would just look at it. Sometimes he even looked like he was trying to figure something out. Finally he shakes his head and places it in his bag as Auron and Braska return, three small tickets in Braska's hand.  
  
    "Hey Braska, how long 'till the boat gets here?" Jecht asks them as he gets up, cracking his neck and stretching.   
  
    "I'd say about 90 minutes." Braska replies, Auron watching, curious why Jecht would be asking that.   
  
    "Good."He says and walks off to the shore. "I'm gonna go for a swim then."

* * *

  
  
    "Hey, you need a ride kid?" An old woman asks, kind smile on her face, watching Sephiroth.  
  
    "Yes." Sephiroth responds and looks up to the woman. "Why? Did you come here to gloat?"  
  
    "I would never-!" The woman starts before shaking her head in what seems like disappointment. "Look kid, I need someone to help me row my boat. If you help, you get your ride to Luca, and so do I."  
  
    Sephiroth watches the woman with narrow eyes, taking in her meticulously put up appearance, graying hair perfectly put up with pins, and an old faded pink dress perfectly ironed out. She certainly didn't look like she would be able to injure him. She didn't even really look like she would want to. Sephiroth thrusts out his hand, the woman tentatively taking the larger, more calloused hand in hers. "We have an agreement...for now..." He mutters, the woman smiling at him.  
  
    "Well, i'm Maria Hester. Just call me Auntie Hester." She says and begins walking to the outskirts of town, Sephiroth following. "What should I call you?"  
  
    "Sephiroth."  
  
    "Sephiroth...huh." Auntie Hester says with a confused look. "That's a beautiful name." She smiles, Sephiroth looking away, a faint blush on his face and fully confused by the woman's actions by now. "Aw now, don't worry sweetie. We'll be there before you know it. The trip usually takes me a few days, but with a strapping young lad like you, we'll easily be there by tomorrow.  
  
    Sephiroth glances over at her, inching away slightly and runnign a hand through his slightly tangled hair. The wind had whipped it around when he was flying, and he didn't have the time to straighten it out yet. "When do we leave?" He asks as blandly as possible.  
  
    "Well, all I need to do is pack up some stuff, and we should be off in an hour or so." Auntie Hester says and adjusts the bag on her right arm. "Come with me then, i'll make. us some lunch, and w'll be off before you know it."  
  
    "We cannot waste any time." Sephiroth mutters as he follows the woman, sighing when she seemingly doesn't hear him. Sephiroth turns his teal eyes to the sky in exasperation. He couldn't help but wonder where his team members were. Were they looking for him? Were they already through Luca? Did they already forget about him?  
  
    They couldn't have bothered looking. For the first time, Sephiroth felt an odd tightening in his chest. He didn't know why. It was only natural that they would assume he was dead and leave him behind. They couldn't have bothered looking. There were more important things to worry about right now. They were on a pilgrimage, and they couldn't waste time looking for a member that hadn't been meant to be there in the first place.  
  
    But if they didn't care about him, why should he return to them...? He had no answer to that. They were the only thing that he knew in this world. His memories were all confusing and unpleasant. The only way he had to get away from them was gone now, and he had too long to spend in his own mind, and the longer he spent thinking about the few memories that he had, the more they all pieced together into a past that he didn't want to remember.  
  
    And yet there was nothing else for him. What else could there possibly be? He had absolutely nothing. He didn't even have his sword, so he couldn't train. He could only try and get back to his companions. He could only hope that they knew he was alive.

* * *

  
  
    "He IS alive!" Jecht roars from across the tiny cabin they had given the summoner and his two guardians.   
  
    "Jecht..." Braska says softly and tuns a hand over his brown hair, as he had taken some of the outermost robes off. "You need to understand. He was hit by Bahamut. The strongest aeon. No one has ever lived through the mega flare before."  
  
    "Shut up!" Jecht yells as he slams his palm against the wall harshly, but not enough to break through it. "Silver ain't wimpy enough to be killed by a little fire! He ain't gonna die just cause everyone thinks he's a goner!"  
  
    "Why do you keep holding onto the foolish hope that he survived?" Auron says blandly, not bothering to look up from where he was swiping a whetstone against his sword masterfully. "He is gone. The sooner you accept this, the sooner we can get this journey over with."  
  
    "HE'S NOT DEAD!!" Jecht roars, storming out, pausing only to slam the door behind him, the room shaking slightly with the force behind him. He snarls as he stomps down the hallway, heads turning to watch him curiously. "Goddamnit!" He yells as he finally reaches the top layer, the ocean in his sight now as he slams his fists onto the railing. Most of the passengers simply assumed that this was the fit of rage that it was. "You're not dead. You can't be..." He whispers to the glowing sea, watching the waves with sad eyes. "You were only ever injured once in battle, and you fall to this?!" He yells.  
  
    Most of the passengers start moving out of the way, anxiously watching as they walk away from the muscular man.

* * *

  
    Sephiroth whips his head over to the horizen, watching the sun that had slowly inched it's way lower. He wasn't sure why, but he was sure that there had been something calling to him. Slowly he clenches the oar in his hands to the point that his arms are straining and his knuckles were white as bone.  
  
    "Hey Sweetie? You okay?" Auntie Hester asks, peering over from where she had been dragging over an oar and a picnic basket. "We need to get going soon."  
  
    "Yes...sit in the back Maria. I'll take care of the rowing." Sephiroth says simply, dragging the boat that had the woman and he belongings in it, Auntie Hester giggling and swaying.  
  
    "My my, what a gentleman." She yelps out, holding onto the sides with a wide grin, old features glowing in such a kind way that Sephiroth can't help but smile himself.  
  


* * *

  
    It was only well past midnight that all of the others were asleep and Auron went out onto the deck, the night air ruffling his short nearly black hair. The stars were so bright tonight...  
  
    "Sephiroth..." He mutters and looks down to the inky black sea beneath him, finding only the reflection of himself and the stars staring back at him. "If you are still alive...you must return to us. The final chapter...will not be written without you..."  
  


* * *

  
    "You know any art pieces Sweetie?" Auntie Hester asks with a smile, handing the silver haired man who had briefly stopped rowing in order to eat the luch she had prepared.   
  
    "Only one...a piece named Loveless." Sephiroth responds with a sigh, closing his eyes.  
  
    "You wanna recote it for me Dear?" Auntie Hester continues, attempting to make conversation with the difficult man.  
  
    "When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end  
  
The goddess descends from the sky,   
  
Wings of Light and Dark spread afar,  
  
She guides us to bliss her gift everlasting.    
  
    "The infinite mystery,   
  
The gift of the goddess is what three men seek,   
  
But their fates are scattered by war,   
  
One becomes a hero, one wanders the land,   
  
And the last is taken prisoner,   
  
But the three are still bound by a solemn oath,  
  
To seek the answer together, once again."  
  
    "Through the prisoner escapes, he is gravely wounded,  
  
His life is saved, however,  
  
By a woman of the opposing nation,  
  
He begins a life a seclusion with her,  
  
Which seems to hold the promise,  
  
But as happiness grows, so does guilt,  
  
Or not fulfilling the oath to his friends,"  
  
    "As the war sends the world hurtling towards destruction  
  
The prisoner departs with his newfound love,  
  
And embarks on a new journey,  
  
He is guided by hope that the gift will bring bliss,  
  
And the oath that he swore to his friends,  
  
Through no oath is shared between the lovers,  
  
In their hearts they know they will meet again..."  
  
    "That's beautiful Dear." Auntie Hester responds, hands folded on her lap. "I'm sure that it must have been very important to you."  
  
    "Yes...." Sephiroth mutters, turning around and preparing to row once more.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
>  Okay, so this took longer then I thought. Got a bit stuck on this chapter, which is why it's slightly shorter. But don't worry, next one should be coming sooner since I have a good idea about what it's gonna be. BTW, i'll be taking suggestions for antics for them to get into. Any ideas, contact me. I'll start a new story where it's all about silly things they do, and I want some help coming up with ideas. Anyone want to help me write them, i'll take that too.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed it. Please review and continue to support. :D


	10. Blitzball, the Sport that Brings People Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
>  Yay! Chapter ten! Wow, this is the farthest i've ever gotten in a story. I tend to have a very eratic pattern of obsessions. It's not even really Sephiroth anymore, right now it's Vegeta. 'Course, i'm not gonna give this story up, i've gotten too far with it. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Blitzball, the Sport that Brings People Together  
      
  
*F*I*N*A*L*F*A*N*T*A*S*Y*  
  
    "Hey, get up Jecht." Auron says, shaking Jecht's shoulder, as the man attempts to go back to sleep on the floor of the cabin. Auron insisted that Braska get the bed since he was the summoner.  
  
    "Why...?" Jecht mutters, placing a hand tiredly on his forehead, the red headband having ridden up his head in his sleep.  
  
    "The boat has reached port. We need to get off before noon." Auron responds, suddenly finding that he just doesn't have the energy to come up with some sort of insult as he usually does. "If we aren't they're going to head off again for more passengers. We'd have to buy another round of tickets."  
  
    "A'right, a'right." Jecht sighs and sits up, looking almost as though there is a puppeteer dragging him up by his shoulders. "Ow!" He yells and runs a hand through his hair, searching for whatever stabbed his scalp. Auron glances over with an arched brow as Jecht pulls a black feather from his hair.  
  
    "Why in the world would you have a feather in your hair?" Auron asks as he picks up some of his belongings. Braska had already packed his things, he said he had something to do in the city, and thought that Auron should stay with Jecht.  
  
    Jecht seems to remember something, eyes suddenly looking fully awake, jerking up to his feet. "Right, I totally forgot about that. I found it near Silver, I meant to ask him about it but...I guess I got a bit distracted..."  
  
    "You assume that the feather has something to do with him?" Auron asks, unwilling to say the seemingly deceased man's name. "Is it not possible that it's just from a raven?"  
  
    "Um..." Jecht hums, reaching up with one hand and trying to fix the red cloth on his head. "Well, yeah, I guess. I didn't really think about that when I found it." He chuckles nervously. "Heh, guess it's a good thing I didn't ask him. Would've made an idiot outta myself huh?"  
  
    "It wouldn't be the first time." Auron murmers as he tosses Jechts bag to him, Jecht catching it with a slight scoff on his face.  
  
    "And what's that supposed to mean, huh?" Jecht asks, but there was no sign of any real malice in his voice. More of a playful teasing that the two dark haired guardians had never really had before. They had never meant to get into a serious fight with bloodshed......well, maybe once or twice, and yet now there was a playful gleam in his eyes, and Auron couldn't help but wonder what had changed. Just the other night they were ready to go at each other's throats, and yet now here he was more then civil with the older man.  
  
    Perhaps they just needed to vent a little bit. They needed someone to yell at and with before they could move on from the tragedy they had recently experienced. "Heh...nothing." Auron chuckles, glad that he and Jecht were finally getting along, at least, for now. And so he bit down the response that was already on his tongue, and started out of the room. "Perhaps we should see if we can find Braska, hm?"  
  
    "Might as well." Jecht says as he returns the feather to it's place on his head, slinging the tan leather bag over his shoulder and following Auron, he himself feeling much better then he had been the other day. "Not much else to do here."

* * *

  
  
    Auntie Hester yawned as she sat up in the boat. She had been sailing for years upon years, and had gotten to the point were she was almost more at home when there was a gentle rocking and slight plumes of water on her face.   
  
    Sephiroth was in front of her, still rowing, arms stiff from a night of no sleep. Part way through, he had given up on falling asleep and had returned to rowing. His entire body was aching now, but he found that he couldn't stop. Through the night, it had been the only thing to focus on, and he felt if he stopped, it would break the calm.  
  
    "Dear, why are you rowing already?" Auntie Hester asks and settles in her half of the small dingy. "In fact, how long have you been rowing? I think I can see Luca on the horizen!" She says, holding a hand up to eyes, shielding them from the rising sun.  
  
    "I couldn't...sleep." Sephiroth says, pausing slightly as he rows the oars, arms moving slowly and yet still much more precisely then a normal man's would. "I decided...that by going through the night...we'd make...good time..."  
  
    "Sweetie, you need to rest." Auntie Hester says, placing a hand on his shoulder, managing to stop him as, even with the light contact, Sephiroth feels as though he's holding bricks on his shoulders. "Come now, i'll row for a while."  
  
    "No..." Sephiroth says and swipes the hand off of his shoulder softly. "I need to get to Luca as soon as possible. I'd...trust it more if it were I responsible for this."  
  
    Auntie Hester shakes her head and rolls her eyes. She had dealt with many stubborn and violent people before, but this man was by far the most intimidating, and he was not one of the young people that had to make mistakes before they could learn. He looked to be at least in his mid twenties, and his eyes showed experience, a rare haunted look flickering across them.   
  
    "Fine." She sighs, handing Sephiroth a canteen of water, the silver haired man gratefully accepting it, he had not had anything to drink all night. "Make sure you get a good nights sleep then when we reach Luca okay Hon? I'm sure you'll be fine in no time.  
  
    Sephiroth nods with a gasp for breath as he pops the cap back onto the canteen, placing it on the bottom of the boat. "We should be there before the afternoon." Sephiroth mutters, looking behind himself at the slight flickering of glass and metal buildings on the horizen.

* * *

  
  
    "Hey, Braska!" Jecht shouts as they pass by Braska who had been talking with a woman who had been selling jewelry. Him and Auron had been looking for Braska for almost half an hour, and finaly found the summoner among the crowds.   
  
    "Oh, you're awake Jecht?" Braska asks and turns away from the woman with an apologetic look. "That's nice to hear. I actually have a surprise for the two of you."  
  
    "What?" Auron asks with a raised brow. Braska hdn't told him anything about a surprise. He figured he was just going out into the town to collect supplies before they would have to catch the ship to Kilika.   
  
    "It's nothing bad, or dangerous, I promise you." Braska continues, Jecht and Auron glancing at each other with sceptical looks. "Here. I got us all tickets to the blitzball game today. I figured we could all use some cheering up."  
  
    "Wait, really?" Jecht asks with an almost childlike look of excitement. He hd never gone more then a month without blitzball ever, not even when his son was just brought home from the hospital. "Goddamn, you're the best Braska!" Jecht laughs as he slings an arm over Braska's shoulders.  
  
    "How much did that cost Braska..." Auron asks as he watches Jecht bubble over with excitement.   
  
    "Don't worry Auron." Braska says, waving his left hand dismissively as Jecht shakes the summoners right shoulder as he continues to ramble about blitzball. "They were so excited that a summoner and his guardians wanted to watch that they gave them to us for free."  
  
    "C'mon, let's go to the stadium then!" Jecht says and starts dragging them in the way to the stadium. "I wanna see how good these guys are!"  
  
    "Hey, Jecht..." Auron says as he follows behind Jecht who was dragging Braska along with him. "How do you even know where the stasium is if you've never been here before?"  
  
    "It's pretty easy to figure it out." Jecht says as they walk past the colorful crowds. "The city has all of these pathways leading to the center of the town, and blitzball is such a popular sport that it's always in the center...also that's where it was in Zanarkand."  
  
    Auron sighs. He didn't know why he even believed the intelligent part of the conversation. Of course he just went the same way he was used to going. Why did he even believe that he could actually deduce things.  
  
    "Impressive." Jecht whistles as they near the stadium. "Not nearly as good as the one in Zanarkand, but pretty good."  
  
    "So blitzball is a very important thing in Zanarkand?" Braska asks, having finally managed to free himself from Jecht's grip.  
  
    "Oh yeah, it's the main form of entertainment!" He says and points to his tattoo happily. "See here, this is the symbol of the Zanarkand Abes, and you're looking at their top player."  
  
    Braska chuckles, only half believing Jechts story. "Come on then, the Luca Goers should just be starting their training. Maybe they'll let you join in."

* * *

  
  
    Sephiroth was finally able to stop rowing a small while after noon, stretching his arms as he got off of the boat, cracking his neck and running a hand through his hair. Auntie Hester seemed glad to be here so soon, grabbing her basket and leaving for the city only after giving Sephiroth an awkward hug and a parting word.  
  
    Sephiroth was unsure what he was going to so now that he had managed to get to the large city. He was sure that Braska Jecht and Auron would have to pass through here eventually, but who was to say that they hadn't just left, or maybe they hadn't even gotten here. It wasn't like he could just walk around and pray that he found them somewhere in the crowd.  
  
    Of course, there wasn't really any other option right now. It was only after he had almost given up hope that a small orange haired boy raced up to him, hardly able to talk he was pnting so hard. "Hey, you know how to play blitzball?" He asks, looking up with hopeful eyes.  
  
    Sephiroth watches the boy in confusion, thanking back to when Jecht had spent time attempting to explain blitzball to him after the...'incident' in Guadosalom. He said that he wanted someone to play with, but Sephiroth suspected that he just wanted to show off that he knew about the sport. "I suppose I do...why?"  
  
    "Okay, look, i'm Wakka, from the Besaid Aurochs." The boy says, shaking the taller man's hand almost forcefully. "See, one of our offensive players broke his arm on the way over. We tried to get someone from the city, but since we're up against the Luca Goers, none of them would join. We'd just need you for one single game, and we'll pay you!"  
  
    "And you will be playing in a televised match?" Sephiroth asks, hand on his hip. He knew that if they passed through here in time, that Jecht would at least try to go to the game. It would probably be his best chance at finding him.  
  
    "Yeah, most of the city will be there." Wakka replies, fiddling with his vest nervously. "C'mon, you look strong! They'd all be happy that I found you for the team, please!"  
  
    "When is the match?" Sephiroth asks calmly. He hoped he would be able to find an hour or so to get some rest before it.  
  
    "Starts at 4." Wakka says, immediatly relaxing and sighing heavily. "We all usually get there around 3:25 though, to discuss positions and stuff. We're all practicing down by the docks, c'mon, we should go introduce you." He says and points over his shoulder with his thumb.  
  
    Sephiroth shakes his head though. "I'll be at the stadium in time, don't worry. But I have some business to take care of."  
  
    "Um...alright then." Wakka says, smiling though. "I'll see ya there. Hopefully the spare uniform will fit you." Sephiroth nods in response, turning away and walking away, his shoulders still aching slightly. 

* * *

  
  
    "Man, they SUCK!" Jecht yells, watching the players train with an annoyed and skeptical look. "What the hell, and they call themselves professionals?!" He asks Auron loudly, the guardian rolling his eyes, Braska chuckling nervously as one or two of the players glare at them. "YO, YOU GUYS SUCK!"  
  
    "Jecht!" Auron snarls lowly, slapping the brunet over his head harshly. "Do you really have to provoke them?!" He continues when the captain walks over, a frown on his face.  
  
    "So, you think you're better than us, huh?" The captain asks with his arms crossed over his chest, his team coming up behind him menacingly, Auron sighing and Braska looking slightly panicked.  
  
    "Oh, I don't think so, I know so." Jecht answers as he stands from his seat, a few inches taller than the captain, hands on his hips and smirking. "You guys are pathetic. I was playing that bad when I was 12 years old!"  
  
    "Fine." A member yells from behind his captain, throwing a blitzball at Jecht as hardly as he can, Jecht catching it in one hand and twirling it on his finger. "Show us how good you are then!"   
  
    The players chuckle almost derisively as Jecht cracks his neck and approaches the ground beneath where the water ball would be set up when the game started. They had painted small lines on the ground to count as the goals. "Well? Ya gonna put up defense, or do ya just expect me to take the shot?"  
  
    Auron sighs as the entire team gets into defensive positions. He was sure that Jecht wouldn't be able to defeat an entire team of some of the best players in Spira. He was convinced that he was just talking down to them so that he could seem badass.  
  
    "Alright, this is more like it!" Jecht yells, tossing the bumpy blue and white ball a few times, rolling his arms, the bones popping softly. "Now then, how 'bout we do a three point match? Whoever gets there first wins."  
  
    "If we win, you have to admit that we're the best blitzball team in all of Spira." The captain says, not bothering to make sure his team is ready or in position. He figured that no matter who it was, six vs. one would be a landslide.  
  
    "Fine."Jecht retorts, holding the ball at his hip. "But if I win, you let me be your main offense in the game."  
  
    "Wha-Jecht!" Auron yells, standing up quickly, almost knowcking Braska off of the bench. "We have a pilgrimage to continue! We mustn't waste any more time than necessary!"  
  
    "Calm down Auron." Jecht says cheerfully, holding up a hand as though telling him to stop. "We were gonna watch the game anyway, it's not like i'm gonna abandon you guys to join these losers."  
  
    The players opposite the field snarl angrily as their captain walks out of the field to act as the referee. The man takes out a whistle, and sets down a small triangle like box that has small papers that flip around to keep the score. The captain settles on the bench next to Braska, before putting up a hand, whistling once and shouting "GO!"  
  
    Immediatly, Jecht dashes forward, the offensive rushing forward as well, three of them running at the tan man, who slides between two of them, the third sliding behind them to try and trip him, only to be met with an elbow to his nose, Jecht jumping over him as he falls to the ground, groaning and holding his nose.   
  
    The defensive line jumps forward, ready to take him down, only for Jecht to toss the ball high above all of them, all of the team reaching up to try and catch it, Jecht running forward and managing to catch it trough the crowd, kicking it almost as soon as it touches his hands, flying past the goal with ease.   
  
    "HAH!" Jecht yells and crosses his arms cockily. "One down!"

* * *

  
  
    "Naw, don't worry, I got a guy." Wakka says with a smile, swinging his legs as he sat in the locker room in his Aurochs uniform with his team around him. "He said that he knew about blitzball, and said he'd be here."  
  
    "Well he's not here." Chappu says, hands on his hips and watching Wakka nervously. The team had let him and his brother on, yes, but they were the youngest by four years. The only other young one was Botta, and he was still much older then them. If Wakka screwed this up, then he was scared that they'd be kicked out. This was their chance to prove themselves.  
  
    "Don't worry, he said he's be here, and we've still got half an hour before the game." Wakka says with his hands up defensively. "The guy looked pretty serious. Seemed trustworthy, ya?"  
  
    "If you mess this up..." Chappu starts, stopping immediatly when a tall man walks through the doors, long silver hair and a black coat on. "Goddamn. Is that the guy you were talking about?"  
  
    "See what I was saying? The guy looks tough." Wakka says, sitting up more proudly then before, making sure to puff out his chest. "Hey, ya made it man!" He yells, running over to Sephiroth who watches him curiously, taking in the locker room.  
  
    "I said that I would be here before the game, didn't I?" Sephiroth asks and looks down at Wakka as the rest of the team gathers around, all of them dressed in the orange and yellow uniforms.   
  
    "Hey, you the new guy?" The captain asks Sephiroth, holding out a hand for him to shake. "I'm Korra, the captain, nice to meet you."  
  
    "Sephiroth." He responds as he takes the slightly shorter man's hand in his, the man's tan hand making his look even more pale in comparison. "And only this once."  
  
    "Of course." Korra responds with a smile. "Do you have a lot of experience with blitzball?" He asks as he turns to the lockers to search for a uniform that would fit Sephiroth.  
  
    "No." Sephiroth says, the rest of the team turning back to stretching, or whatever they had been doing before he had arrived. "I know about the game, but I have not played it."  
  
    "I see..." Korra says and shoots an exasperated glance at Wakka, who chuckles nervously, Chappu sighing and putting his head in his hands. "Well, i'll put you on the offensive, so just do everything you can to get the ball into the goal."  
  
    Sephiroth nods and takes the uniform that Korra hands him, looking at the bright clothing in slight distaste, finding a pair of black goggles and a hairband as well. "You gotta put up your hair, it's too long, and if we left it out, it's weigh you down too much. I figured that since you haven't played too much, you won't be able to keep your eyes open for too long underwater, so wear those."  
  
    "Thank you." Sephiroth responds, already taking off his long coat, hanging it on one of the hooks in a locker, ignoring the slight shock on the captains face when he sees the still healing wounds on his body. Sephiroth shoots him a single cold glance, and he immediatly looks away, scratching his neck nervously.  
    

* * *

  
  
    Jecht laughed as the other team rushed into the sphere of water. There were two orange haired kids, a red haired teen with a bandage on his nose, a tall man with dark brown hair, the captain with black hair in a ponytail, and a man with goggles and grayish hair tied in a complex knot over his head.  
  
    Jecht himself had been forced into a blue uniform that covered his trademark tattoo, and they had him tie his hair into a ponytail and take off his bandana. At this point, he didn't even care anymore, he just wanted to play his beloved game again.  
  
    He couldn't help but wonder briefly why they had let kids onto their team. Even if they were good players, this was a pretty violent game. The players would hit and basically throw each other through the water. Still, Jecht didn't care about hitting kids, and he was absolutely sure that he would be able to take them on.  
  
    Immediatly when the whistle blows and the ball falls down, all of the offensive players from both rush forward, all of them reaching out, but of course, Jecht manages to get it first, having many years of experience as an expert player for the Zanarkand Abes.   
  
    Jecht fires immediatly, knowing that he was able to make it easily from across the water. But, as it reaches the third line before, the gray haired man swims up lightning fast, managing to have the ball slam against his chest, managing to spin fully around vertically, ball in his hands as he attempts to swim forward. But he obviously didn't have much experience in the water, and was going forward at a much slower rate then all of the other players.  
  
    "Yo!" The smaller of the orange haired kids yells, waving his hands at the tall man, who immediatly throws the ball, managing to force it through the water at a speed maybe greater then Jecht's. Jecht smirks. Maybe not all the players here were bad after all. If only the guy could swim better.  
  
    Jecht snorts and swims after the orange haired boy, gaining ground very quickly. He smirks triumphantly as he slams a shoulder into the kid, forcing the ball out of his hands, immediatly tossing it to the red haired woman on his own team.But the same man with the shadowy goggles intercepts it, and even though the woman elbows him in the gut, the man manages to throw it to the red head with the bandage on his nose.  
  
    The red head yells, bubbles floating up from his mouth as the ball manages to sail into the goal, the goalie almost managing to grab ahold of it. Immediatly a roar of boos and cheers erupts from the crowd, and Jecht snarls angrily. This was his first game in months, and he wasn't going to lose it!  
  
    "Everyone, just get the ball to me!" He yells, swimming quickly into the enemy line, his team ready to object, but quickly giving it up, deciding to just go along with the man's plan. He had definately proved himself after all.

* * *

  
  
    "Hey!" Jecht says with a smile, having bursted into the locker room, since he felt he should at least let them know that they were better than the Goers. They probably would have won if he hadn't been on the team. "Good game!"  
  
    "Er...thanks." The captain says, holding out his hand to the tan man. "You certainly were a very honorable player. I'm Korra, the captain."  
  
    "Nice ta meet ya. You weren't bad yourself, better than that idiot from the Goers anyway." Jecht says and shakes the man's hand a bit to hardly. "Name's Jecht."  
  
    The silver haired man's eyes widen at this. He hadn't been facing the man who had burst in, he had been taking off the ridiculously bright uniform that they had forced him to wear. He had only managed to get the top and the goggles off though, his hair was still tied up. "Jecht...?" He asks, turning around with a plain look of shock on his face.  
  
    "What the..." Jecht trails off, looking almost as surprised as the silver haired man did. "Sephiroth...?" All that Jecht needed was the simple nod from the silver haired man before he roared with laughter, running forward to Sephiroth who almost flinched when the tan man didn't slow at all when he neared him. But he didn't hit him as Sephiroth almost expected. Instead, he simply wrapped his toned arms around Sephiroth's shoulders, laughing so hard that small tears that he would never admit to formed at the corners of his eyes. "I TOLD them! I TOLD them that you weren't dead!"  
  


  
A/N  
    Holy. Freakin'. Wow. I totally did not expect to get this done so quickly. I hope that this one makes up for the short chapter before. So, the group is all together again. Yay! Only one more temple to go, and then the drama really begins. Saddle up. Okay then, still a little unsure about that antics fic. Maybe i'll do it, maybe I won't. I'll see if I get around to it. Anyways, please review, and thank you for reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
>  Holy. Freakin'. Wow. I totally did not expect to get this done so quickly. I hope that this one makes up for the short chapter before. So, the group is all together again. Yay! Only one more temple to go, and then the drama really begins. Saddle up. Okay then, still a little unsure about that antics fic. Maybe i'll do it, maybe I won't. I'll see if I get around to it. Anyways, please review, and thank you for reading!


End file.
